Market Harborough in Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
The Market Harborough Civil War Trail
The Campaign and Battle of Naseby
| | 5th-15th June 1645 | |
Photographed by Stephen Palmer, October 19, 2025
1. The Market Harborough Civil War Trail Marker
The decisive battle of the English Civil War was fought in the fields of Naseby, Sulby, Sibbertoft and Clipston parishes, south of Market Harborough, on Saturday 14 June, 1645. The parliamentarian New Model Army, under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, defeated the royalist army, commanded by King Charles I and Prince Rupert of the Rhine.
The Armies and Commanders
Royalist Total: 10,150
4600 Foot Soldiers (under Astley)
5550 Horse (under Maurice and Langdale)
Parliamentarian Total: 13,576
7500 Foot Soldiers (under Skippon)
5400 Horse (under Cromwell and Ireton)
676 Dragoons (under Okey)
The Campaign of 1645
The royalists attacked Leicester on 29 May, taking it by storm two days later. They then marched to Market Harborough and on to Daventry. They plundered all this countryside, driving off cattle and sheep and taking corn to send to their capital city, Oxford. Then they returned to Market Harborough, intending to go to Newark. The New Model Army followed. Patrols clashed on the evening of 13 June in Naseby village. Early on 14 June King Charles and Rupert marched out from Market Harborough to offer battle
this page online
The Aftermath in Market Harborough
The parliamentarian soldiers were not only flushed with success but also considerably enriched at the royalists' expense as The Kingdom's Weekly Intelligencer reported. "The soldiers that were slaine and taken [prisoner] were verie full of money, scarce any poor rogue but had in his pocket fortie or fifty shillings, some five pounds, some ten pounds ...and all they had plundered at Leicester... As a common soldier was paid about one pound a month, the money many now had was an incentive to desert the army and go home.
St Dionysius Church
The parliamentarian Provost Marshal had to imprison between 4,000 and 5,000 defeated royalists. St Dionysius Church was the largest and most easily secured building in Market Harborough. Many of the royalists taken in battle spent the night here before being marched to Northampton on their way to London.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Wars, Non-US. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1645.
Location. 52° 28.712′ N, 0° 55.276′ W. Marker is in Market
Photographed by Stephen Palmer, October 19, 2025
2. The Market Harborough Civil War Trail Marker
Regionally, this marker is in England’s Midlands. Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, in Europe, in Atlantic Europe, on one of the British Isles, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 26 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named The Market Harborough Civil War Trail (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); Great Glen War Memorial (approx. 12.8 kilometers away); Church of St. John the Baptist (approx. 14 kilometers away); Friends Meeting House - Oakham (approx. 24.8 kilometers away); Hudson's Cottage (approx. 24.9 kilometers away); Oakham Castle (approx. 25 kilometers away); Fit for a King (approx. 25.1
Photographed by Stephen Palmer, October 19, 2025
3. St Dionysius' Church
Credits. This page was last revised on October 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2025, by Stephen Palmer of Ascot, England. This page has been viewed 55 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 19, 2025, by Stephen Palmer of Ascot, England. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
