| Up in arms: The Cornish in the Civil War |
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Page 2 of 5 The Battle of Braddock Down The Parliamentarians launched an invasion of Cornwall in January 1643. Forces under the command of Colonel Ruthin and the Earl of Stamford marched west in an attempt at a two pronged attack. On January 19, the Royalist army of some 8,000 men came across the Parliamentarian forces some three miles east of Lostwithiel on Braddoc Down.  Restormel Castle. The Roundhead forces were not at full strength and were without cannon but with plentiful supplies and high morale they could afford to wait. Hopton, however, knew that he should attack at once realising also that a further defeat could easily result in the loss of Cornwall to Parliament. With the Roundhead forces drawn up close to Braddock church, Hopton placed his cannon and Cornish infantry on a slight rise to the west. His cavalry were placed to either side and a small reserve was held back at Boconnoc. The action, when it came, was swift and decisive. The Royalist advance made the most of the slight slope in their favour and with cavalry charging on both flanks the Parliamentarians quickly broke and ran. Two hundred Roundheads were killed, and over a 1,000 captured including their cannon and ammunition wagons that had just arrived. The action was significant not only because of the resounding defeat of the Parliamentarians but also because of the huge surge in confidence and morale that went through the Cornish forces who crossed the Tamar again to resume the siege of Plymouth Today there is little to see of the battlefield as it is part of the Boconnoc estate and heavily wooded. The church at Braddock remains as does the village at Boconnoc. |
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