The English Civil War officially began when Charles I raised his standard at Nottingham on 22 August 1642. A number of small skirmishes were to take place over the next few months, most notably at Powick Bridge, before the two opposing armies faced each other at Edgehill on 23 October. Although this battle was inconclusive, Charles was given a tactical victory when the Earl of Essex, leader of the Parliamentarians, left the field and headed north to Warwick, leaving the road to London open for the King. This road was to lead to Brentford, a small town with about 280 houses.
Geoff Buckingham picks up the story.
On 12th November 1642 the people of Brentford faced a terrifying ordeal. Civil War had broken out shortly before , and the town was soon caught up in one of the earliest battles .
It was brutal! And it turned out to be crucial too.
On that foggy morning an outnumbered Parliamentary force tried valiantly to withstand an attempt by Royalist troops to invade the town, from the Brentford Bridge end, to advance upon London.
Although the Royalists won the bloodthirsty battle in the end, the resistance they had met slowed down their campaign and, ultimately, they were thwarted in their attempt to take control of London
Brentford’s monument commemorates four major events in Brentford’s history. Julius Caesar’s supposed Thames crossing, 54BC, King Offa’s council, the defeat of King Canute in 1016 and the Battle of Brentford 1642
And, in due course, they lost that war.
But the townsfolk of Brentford paid a huge price. Many lives were lost , many drowned, homes were destroyed, and the town was ransacked.
Let us think of these Brentford people, and the soldiers on both sides , who made the ultimate sacrifice on this day in 1642…
Geoff Buckingham
Based on Geoff’s article in Brentford Thru my lens (facebook) and with kind permission of Karen Reader
