Braddock Down battle Braddock, Cornwall

the battle of braddock down battle of english civil war occurred on 19 january 1643 , crushing defeat parliamentarian army. sir ralph hopton, 1st baron hopton s royalist forces had been camped night before battle @ nearby boconnoc , surprised when, in morning on breaking camp, vanguard of dragoons encountered enemy parliamentarian cavalry deployed on east side of braddock down. general ruthvin, parliamentarian commander, had been unwilling wait earl of stamford’s reinforcements arrive @ liskeard and, perhaps wishing claim expected defeat of hopton own, had marched out challenge royalist army.

braddock down in terms of scale battle, in terms of action in senses little more skirmish. defeat of parliamentarians achieved apparently little effort royalists @ great cost enemy. cornwall placed under royalist control , hopton’s reputation secured.

there dispute on exact location of battlefield. traditional site partly within parkland of boconnoc, partly under pasture. although down open common grazing land @ time of battle, land west around braddock church appears have been enclosed 1643. there 1 can see examples of typical cornish hedges, stone faced banks surmounted hedges, bounded such enclosures in 17th century. today, access site difficult because there no public footpaths , roads traverse battlefield narrow high hedges.