Battle of Naseby, 1645

The Battle of Naseby fought in June 1645 was one of the seminal moments in English history. It was an overwhelming victory for Parliament and the King’s principal army was eliminated. The King’s cabinet and incriminating papers were captured and within a year, the war was over. The victory established Parliament’s right to a permanent role in the government of the kingdom. Naseby was a victory for the army ‘new modelled’ – Britain’s first regular, red-coated soldiers and is, for many, the birth place of the British Army. As a national monument, Naseby field is unmatched. Despite the addition of farm buildings and the enclosing of fields, the landscape remains intact and has not been built over. There are no uncertainties over the location or orientation of the battle. Today’s visitors can stand on the ground ...where democracy was won, confident of how the action unfolded.