Portal:Cheshire/Selected article/27
The Battle of Rowton Heath was a battle which took place on 24 September 1645, during the Civil War. The Royalists were under the personal command of King Charles I (pictured); the Parliamentarians were commanded by Sydnam Poyntz.
The Royalists had suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Naseby in June. Chester, the only remaining Royalist port, had been under Parliamentarian siege since December. Charles marched there to relieve the defenders, splitting his forces in an attempt to attack the besiegers from two sides. However, Poyntz was in pursuit of the King with approximately 3,000 horse. He attacked the larger Royalist force, commanded by Marmaduke Langdale, in the early hours of 24 September. The Parliamentarians besieging Chester sent reinforcements, and Langdale was forced to retreat to Rowton Heath to wait for his own reinforcements, which never reached them.
The Royalists retreated as dusk fell, with high casualties: 600 killed and 900 taken prisoner. The defeat prevented Charles from relieving Chester, which fell to the Parliamentarians on 3 February 1646.