The 1322 Battle of Burton Bridge was fought between
Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster
Thomas of Lancaster, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl of Derby, ''jure uxoris'' 4th Earl of Lincoln and ''jure uxoris'' 5th Earl of Salisbury (c. 1278 – 22 March 1322) was an English nobleman. A member of the House of Pl ...
and his cousin
King Edward II of England during the
Despenser War
The Despenser War (1321–22) was a baronial revolt against Edward II of England led by the Marcher Lords Roger Mortimer and Humphrey de Bohun. The rebellion was fuelled by opposition to Hugh Despenser the Younger, the royal favourite.Some histor ...
. Edward's army was proceeding northwards to engage Lancaster, having defeated his
Marcher Lord
A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales.
A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in F ...
allies in Wales. Lancaster fortified the bridge at
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a market town in the borough of East Staffordshire in the county of Staffordshire, England, close to the border with Derbyshire. In United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011, it had a ...
, an important crossing of the
River Trent
The Trent is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, third-longest river in the United Kingdom. Its Source (river or stream), source is in Staffordshire, on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through and drains the North Midland ...
, in an attempt to prevent the King from proceeding. Edward arrived at nearby
Cauldwell on 7 March 1322 and intended to use the ford at
Walton-on-Trent
Walton-on-Trent is a village within the civil parish of Walton-upon-Trent, in the National Forest in the South Derbyshire district in Derbyshire, England. The population of the civil parish as taken at the 2011 Census was 872.
The Bridge at W ...
to cross the river and outflank Lancaster. Edward was delayed for three days by floodwaters, during which time some of his force was deployed opposite Lancaster's men at the bridge.
On 10 March 1322 Edward's main force crossed the river at Walton and proceeded to the south side of Burton. Lancaster moved his men outside the town, intending to face the King in open battle, but withdrew northwards when he saw that he was heavily outnumbered. Lancaster was pursued closely by the King's men and eventually captured at the
Battle of Boroughbridge
The Battle of Boroughbridge was fought on 16 March 1322 in England between a group of rebellious barons and the forces of King Edward II, near Boroughbridge, north-west of York. The culmination of a long period of antagonism between the King a ...
; he was later executed on the King's orders. Lancaster's defeat removed the immediate threat to Edward's rule, but the King continued to prove unpopular with his barons, and in 1327 was forced to abdicate the throne in favour of his son
Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
.
Background
Thomas, Earl of Lancaster
Thomas of Lancaster, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl of Derby, ''jure uxoris'' 4th Earl of Lincoln and ''jure uxoris'' 5th Earl of Salisbury (c. 1278 – 22 March 1322) was an English nobleman. A member of the House of Pl ...
had long been an enemy of the King, alienated by his practice of promoting young favourites (and alleged lovers) such as
Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall, who had at one stage been made regent in Edward's absence.
Lancaster further demonstrated his disapproval of the King by his refusal to assist Edward in
his Scottish campaigns, including the decisive defeat at the
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn ( gd, Blàr Allt nam Bànag or ) fought on June 23–24, 1314, was a victory of the army of King of Scots Robert the Bruce over the army of King Edward II of England in the First War of Scottish Independence. It was ...
.
[ The resulting raids by the Scottish on Northern England forced Edward to concede to demands from his barons for the kingdom to be governed by a council led by the Earl and to submit to the restrictions on royal power laid out in the ]Ordinances of 1311
The Ordinances of 1311 were a series of regulations imposed upon King Edward II by the peerage and clergy of the Kingdom of England to restrict the power of the English monarch. The twenty-one signatories of the Ordinances are referred to as the Lo ...
.[ Shortly afterwards Lancaster captured and executed Gaveston after an attack upon ]Scarborough Castle
Scarborough Castle is a former medieval Royal fortress situated on a rocky promontory overlooking the North Sea and Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. The site of the castle, encompassing the Iron Age settlement, Roman signal station, an Ang ...
.[ The new baronial council demonstrated itself no more suited to rule than the King by failing to prevent the loss of ]Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
to the Scots in 1318.[
Edward continued to alienate the Barons by promoting young men such as ]Hugh Despenser the Younger
Hugh le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despenser (c. 1287/1289 – 24 November 1326), also referred to as "the Younger Despenser", was the son and heir of Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester (the Elder Despenser), by his wife Isabella de Beauchamp, ...
, a known enemy of Lancaster's.[ In 1318 Lancaster met with Archbishop of Dublin ]Alexander de Bicknor
Alexander de Bicknor (1260s? – 14 July 1349; usually spelt "Bykenore" in original Middle English sources) was an official in the Plantagenet kingdom under Edward I of England, Edward II of England, and Edward III of England. Best known to histor ...
and two bishops at Horninglow, now a suburb of Burton upon Trent, in initial negotiations that resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Leake
The Treaty of Leake was an agreement between the "Middle Party", including courtier adherents of Edward II of England, and the king's cousin, the Earl Thomas of Lancaster and his followers. It was signed at Leake in Nottinghamshire on 9 August 1 ...
, an attempt to reconcile the King and his barons. However such co-operation was short-lived as Despenser's continued rise threatened the holdings of the Welsh Marcher Lords
A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales.
A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in Fra ...
and in 1321 Lancaster joined them in an outright rebellion against Edward.[
]
Battle
Edward acted quickly against the Marcher Lords, defeating them easily due to a lack of co-ordination amongst them, before moving north to confront Lancaster.[ The Earl moved from his base at ]Pontefract
Pontefract is a historic market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the towns in the City of Wake ...
, West Yorkshire to block the strategically important crossing of the River Trent
The Trent is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, third-longest river in the United Kingdom. Its Source (river or stream), source is in Staffordshire, on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through and drains the North Midland ...
at Burton.[ He arrived in early March 1322, having lost much of his stores to floods en route, and set about fortifying the western end of the bridge, a 36-arch stone structure that was long and just wide.] Lancaster sent out men to prevent the King from crossing the Trent elsewhere and outmanoeuvring him. Two such men were John de Myner, master forester of Needwood Forest
Needwood Forest was a large area of ancient woodland in Staffordshire, England, which was largely lost at the end of the 18th century.
History
The forest was on extensive lands owned by the Berkeley family of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershi ...
, and Richard de Holland, who broke the bridges at Wychnor
Wychnor (or Wichnor, ) is a village and civil parish in Staffordshire, England, situated in the East Staffordshire local government district adjoining Alrewas and Barton-under-Needwood. It is situated on the A38, formerly the Roman road Ryknil ...
and Hamstall Ridware
Hamstall Ridware is a village and civil parish in the Lichfield district of Staffordshire, England. It is in the Trent Valley, and lies close to the villages of Hill Ridware, Mavesyn Ridware and Pipe Ridware. It is eight miles north of the c ...
. De Holland was later fined 40 shillings by the King for his actions. De Holland's kinsman Lord Robert de Holland had long been a supporter of Lancaster, was said to be his closest friend, and had raised troops for him to send against the King's men in Cheshire. However, on 4 March de Holland received a secret order from the King to join him against Lancaster which he seems to have obeyed, forming a body of troops at Ravensdale Park in Derbyshire ostensibly to reinforce Lancaster's army at Burton.
Edward arrived at nearby Cauldwell on 7 March 1322, intending to make use of the ford at Walton-on-Trent
Walton-on-Trent is a village within the civil parish of Walton-upon-Trent, in the National Forest in the South Derbyshire district in Derbyshire, England. The population of the civil parish as taken at the 2011 Census was 872.
The Bridge at W ...
to outflank Lancaster.[ This ford was, however, impassable due to flooding, and for three days Edward waited.][ During this time Edward ordered an attack upon Lancaster's fortified position, and despite a full day's fighting, the Royalist forces were unable to make any headway.] Lancaster awaited reinforcement from Holland, who had encamped with his men at Dalbury, north of Burton. Holland, however, apparently wished to await the result of the battle prior to committing himself and revealing his loyalties.[ Holland may have actually sent Lancaster letters intended to draw his men away from Burton.
Edward's troops were able to cross the Trent at Walton on 10 March 1322 and advanced upon Burton from the south.][ Lancaster, outflanked, then moved from his positions at the bridge to a field outside of Burton, firing the town as he went.][ Once he realised how badly outnumbered his men were, and that Holland was not moving to his aid, Lancaster decided to withdraw and was pursued by Edward.][ The clash is not classified as a battle by English Heritage, though some casualties were suffered, and is not registered as a battlefield with the Battlefields Trust.][ The casualties included the keeper of Alton Castle, Sir Roger D'Amory, who was injured in the fight and later died of his wounds at Tutbury.][
]
Aftermath
The King's troops, led by John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey
John de Warenne (24/30 June 1286 - June 1347), 7th Earl of Surrey, was the last Warenne earl of Surrey.
Life
John was born on either 24 or 30 June 1286 and baptised on 7 November of that year.He was the son of William de Warenne, the only son o ...
and Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent (5 August 130119 March 1330), whose seat was Arundel Castle in Sussex, was the sixth son of King Edward I of England, and the second by his second wife Margaret of France, and was a younger half-brother ...
, chased Lancaster to Tutbury and Kenilworth
Kenilworth ( ) is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Warwick (district), Warwick District in Warwickshire, England, south-west of Coventry, north of Warwick and north-west of London. It lies on Finham Brook, a ...
, capturing both towns and devastating the counties of Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Holland, seeing the outcome of the battle and knowing that the King had recently imprisoned his daughter at the Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...
, openly acted against Lancaster.[ Holland's men attacked and robbed various supporters of Lancaster at ]Windley
Windley is a small village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England, around north of Derby, adjacent to the B5023 Duffield to Wirksworth road. The civil parish population as taken at the 2011 Census was 148.
It was formerly part of the parish ...
including Hugh de Audley and Lancaster's wife Alice de Lacy to the value of £1,000. He also ordered the men raised in Cheshire to march towards Burton and prevent the escape of Lancaster's troops to the River Mersey
The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part ...
. Holland turned his troops over to the King at Derby on 13 March but was coldly received, his past alliance with Lancaster condemning him to imprisonment at Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the ...
and the loss of his estates.[ He was beheaded by an unknown gang in 1328 and his head was given to Thomas Lancaster's brother ]Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
Henry, 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster ( – 22 September 1345) was a grandson of King Henry III of England (1216–1272) and was one of the principals behind the deposition of King Edward II of England, Edward II (1307–1327), his first c ...
.[
Lancaster was able to flee Tutbury Castle under cover of darkness and, with much of his army, evaded Edward's patrols to cross the flooded River Dove and make his way northwards.] Upon taking Tutbury, Edward ordered D'Amory's corpse to be posthumously executed for treason.[ Lancaster fled north where Sir Andrew Harclay, having heard of the King's victory at Burton, moved to engage him at the ]Battle of Boroughbridge
The Battle of Boroughbridge was fought on 16 March 1322 in England between a group of rebellious barons and the forces of King Edward II, near Boroughbridge, north-west of York. The culmination of a long period of antagonism between the King a ...
. Lancaster was defeated and captured by Harclay and later executed at Pontefract.[ Edward ordered a chapel constructed on the Burton bridge in commemoration of his victory there.][
Lancaster had finally been dealt with, but Edward continued to upset his barons, reneging upon his previously agreed limitations to royal power, continuing to promote Despenser and losing key battles against the Scots. With Edward's reign becoming more unpopular, Lancaster's grave became a site of pilgrimage for those who opposed him. Edward's own queen, ]Isabella of France
Isabella of France ( – 22 August 1358), sometimes described as the She-Wolf of France (), was Queen of England as the wife of King Edward II, and regent of England from 1327 until 1330. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving ...
, sided with her lover, the Marcher Lord Roger Mortimer, and in 1327 forced Edward to abdicate in favour of his son who became Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
.[
In the aftermath of the battle, the Audley family claimed to have lost £300 of goods: seven cartloads of gold cloth, silver vessels and chapel ornaments from ]Heleigh Castle
Heighley Castle (or Heleigh Castle) is a ruined medieval castle near Madeley, Staffordshire. The castle was completed by the Audley family in 1233 and for over 300 years was one of their ancestral homes. It was held for Charles I during the E ...
. These had been ordered to be removed to Tutbury Priory
Tutbury Priory was a Benedictine monastery in Tutbury, Staffordshire, England, founded in 1080 by Henry de Ferrers as a dependency of the abbey of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives in Normandy and completed in 1089, in memory of King William the Conqueror an ...
by Peter de Lymesey, but according to the prior they never arrived and were taken to Tutbury Castle
Tutbury Castle is a largely ruined medieval castle at Tutbury, Staffordshire, England, in the ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster and hence currently of King Charles III. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. People who have stayed in the castle ...
and subsequently lost in the retreat of the Lancastrians from Burton.[ ]Burton Abbey
Burton Abbey at Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire, England, was founded in the 7th or 9th century by St Modwen or Modwenna. It was refounded in 1003 as a Benedictine abbey by the thegn Wulfric Spott. He was known to have been buried in the abbey ...
also suffered damage at the hands of the Lancastrian forces.
The Abbot of Burton The Abbot of Burton was the head of Burton Abbey, the Benedictine monastery of St Mary and St Modwenna at Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire, England. Allegedly the church was begun by a wandering Irish holy woman, but it was actually founded c. ...
was charged with concealing goods from the king after it was claimed he had taken the Earl of Lancaster's money and goods left behind after the battle, to the value of £200. The abbot claimed that all he had found was a single silver cup which he subsequently gave to the king. The finding in 1831 of a large quantity of silver coins, suspected to be part of Lancaster's treasure, in the River Dove, near Tutbury may support the abbot's case. In either case, the next year Edward felt able to award Burton Abbey the advowson
Advowson () or patronage is the right in English law of a patron (avowee) to present to the diocesan bishop (or in some cases the ordinary if not the same person) a nominee for appointment to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, ...
s of Tatenhill
Tatenhill is an ancient village and a civil parish located in a deep valley, between two hills, which gradually descend from the eastern border of Needwood Forest, west-southwest of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England.
Buildings
The san ...
and Hanbury Hanbury may refer to:
People
*Harold Greville Hanbury (1898–1993), English law academic and Vinerian Professor of English Law at the University of Oxford
* John Hanbury (disambiguation), a number of men with this name
* Robert Hanbury Brown (191 ...
, which had previously belonged to Lancaster, in "perpetual memory of the glorious victory which God gave to the King over his enemies and the rebels near Burton-on-Trent, and also to relieve the condition of the Abbey".
The battle gave rise to a tradition at nearby Chartley Park, a holding of John de Ferrers, 2nd Baron Ferrers of Chartley
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
. The baron maintained a herd of white cattle with black ears, descended from wild specimens found when the park was formed from part of the ancient Needwood Forest. In 1322 an unusual black calf was born in the herd that was said to have foretold the Battle of Burton Bridge and the subsequent downfall of the de Ferrers house (who were supporters of Lancaster). Subsequently it was said that the birth of a dark-hued or part-coloured calf in the herd would foretell a death in the de Ferrers family within the year. Such omens were said to have preceded the deaths of, amongst others, Robert Shirley, 7th Earl Ferrers; his wife; their son Robert Sewallis Shirley and his wife and the son, daughter and wife of Washington Shirley, the 8th Earl. Another local tradition places the legendary figure of Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...
at the battle fighting for Lancaster.
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burton Bridge, Battle of 1322)
1322 in England
Conflicts in 1322
Military history of Staffordshire
Battles involving England
Edward II of England
Despenser War