Battle of Norton St Philip

Battle of Norton St Philip

27 June 1685

Why was there a Battle at Norton St Philip*?

After the Battle of Keynsham on 25 June, the Whig Army broke away from the Government forces and headed east. In heavy rain, the Whigs quickly marched towards Bath overnight. After leaving a rearguard to cover that city, Monmouth’s main force turned south aiming to reach the London Road at Warminster. The Whigs reached Norton St Philip late on 26 June.

Monmouth marchs to Norton St Philip
Monmouth’s Night March
The Armies

This battle was fought between the Whig Army of the Duke of Monmouth and the Government Army under the Earl of Feversham. With Monmouth’s Army at large Feversham order his three main forces to concentrate at Bath. Monmouth’s forces numbered around 5,000 Infantry, 1,000 Cavalry and 4 light guns. In comparison, Feversham had approximately 2,400 Infantry, 800 Cavalry and 8 light guns, plus nearly 3,000 Militia Infantry and 100 Militia Cavalry.

Armies at Norton St Philip
Armies at Norton St Philip
Whig’s Camp at Norton St Philip

With his soldiers, exhausted, covered in mud and wet, Monmouth ordered them to rest. While his soldiers camped on the fields near the church, the Duke turned the George Inn into his Headquarters. To protect the Army, the Whigs deployed sentries and set up a barricade across the road from Bath into the town guarded by Captain Vincent’s company from Wade’s Regiment.

Early the following morning, the Whig Army formed up and by late morning the bulk of the baggage, foot and horse were marching towards Frome. Only the Duke, his Lifeguards, the Artillery and Wade’s Regiment remained in town acting as rear-guard.

Government Reaction

That night the Government Army’s commander, the Earl of Feversham learnt of Monmouth’s move to Norton St Philip (called Philips Norton in 1685) and ordered all his forces to rendezvous at Bath. This included the Guards battalions, Churchill’s Brigade, several Militia Regiments, and fourteen troops of Cavalry and Dragoons. Early the next morning after arraying his considerable force outside Bath, Feversham advanced with his vanguard, under Churchill.

At the front of the column was the newly promoted Captain Lloyd with a troop of cavalry, then came the Duke of Grafton with Hawley’s company of Grenadiers. Behind them was Captain Parker and two troops of Horse Grenadiers. Behind these came a mixed musketeer battalion under Colonel Kirke. This also contained the combined grenadier companies from the Foot Guards, Kirke’s and Trelawny’s plus musket divisions from Kirke’s and Trelawny’s, in all around 500 soldiers. These were supported by 4 troops from Lord Churchill’s Dragoons and 3 troops of Lifeguards. The main column contained six troops of cavalry and three Foot Guard battalions under Lord Sackville. Following were three or four Battalions of Militia. The rear guard had an Artillery train of 8 guns and the remaining soldiers from Kirke’s and Trelawny’s under Lieutenant Colonel C. Churchill.

What happened in the Battle of Norton St Philip?
Opening Moves

At around 11 in the morning, Lloyd’s men came down the lane into the town of Norton St Philip and rode into Vincent’s men at the barricade. After a brisk exchange, Lloyd withdrew back to Feversham. The commander immediately ordered Grafton to attack with the Grenadiers under Hawley. As the Grenadiers advance down the lane a firefight develops but slowly Hawley’s men push back Vincent after assaulting the Barricade. However, Wade then brought up the rest of the Regiment and advanced against the flank of the Grenadiers. Vincent reformed his company and supported by a troop of Whig cavalry, launched a counter-attack.

Opening moves of the Battle of Norton Philip
Battle of Norton St Philip at Noon

Hearing the battle unfold, Feversham ordered Lloyd back down the lane supported by Parker with the Horse Grenadiers. Then Kirke’s commanded musketeer Battalion was deployed on either side of the Lane and advanced down its flanks lane towards the town. In the field above the lane entrance, Churchill deploys the Dragoons along the hedges at the top of the lane.

The Bloody Lane

Feversham took up a position on the ridge that overlooked the town with the Lifeguards. Meanwhile, in the lane Grafton’s horse is killed from under him but Lloyd’s troopers arrive just in time. With the Horse Grenadiers engaging Wade’s men in the Lane Lloyd cut his way through to Grafton. With their right flank hard pressed Hawley’s Grenadiers cut their way through the hedges on the left.

Picture from 1686 edition of Mallet, Art of War.

Wade’s men were in a struggle with the Horse Grenadiers when Kirke’s musketeers opened fire into their open left flank. This forced Wade to pull back the left wing of his battalion, easing the pressure in the Lane. Over on the left side of the Lane, Kirke’s musketeer engaged Whig reinforcements, giving the remounted Grafton and the beleaguered Hawley an escape route. Behind Wade, Holmes Regiment extended the Whig flank and after deploying into line attacked the Government musketeers. In the Lane, Vincent supported by Monmouth’s Lifeguards, and two companies of Scythes squeeze out the Government soldiers.

With the support of more Whig Horse, Holmes’ soldiers attack Kirke’s men stationed behind thick hedgerows. Initially, the combat was close, but Holmes’ scythe men cut a path through the branches. Outflanked, Kirke’s men broke and ran to safety amongst the dismounted Dragoons. Over on the Whig’s right flank, the Government forces had also pulled back to the top of the Lane. Supported by two guns, Vincent’s soldiers smashed their way up the Lane to outflank Churchill’s Dragoons.

Churchill’s Retreat

With more Whig Infantry extending the battle line, Churchill retreated his men out of the fight. Leaving the hedgerows in the hands of Monmouth’s cheering soldiers covered by the Lifeguards and five troops of Cavalry. Kirke’s broken men reached the safety of the main army deploying along the hillside. Seeing the Horse covering their enemy’s flight the Whig officers stopped their men from crossing the last hedgerow. In the centre, Monmouth had reached the top of the Lane and deployed the Artillery facing Feversham Army.

Battle of Norton St Philip in the evening
Battle of Norton St Philip, the final deployment

As the rain started once more, from his position overlooking Monmouth’s Army, Feversham was reluctant to attack. Especially as his rear-guard was still to arrive with the Artillery. The General could only watch as the Whig Artillery opened fire from the centre of their line. Feversham could see that the enemy held a strong defensive position, but if the left flank could be turned, the Whigs could be defeated. However, it was not until around 3 o’clock that his own Artillery came up and could start throwing iron shots back into the enemy ranks.

As the rain washed away the blood from the Lane, Monmouth could only watch as the Government army deployed above him. The Duke could count eight battalions of foot, against his five, but there was an equal number of cavalry at around sixteen each, but the enemy had 8 guns to his 4 light pieces.

Whig Victory

Monmouth had possibly up to 6,000 men, while Feversham had an equal number, half of whom were veterans. However, the Government troops were in a strong defensive position. The Duke could not ask his men to attack uphill, against such a large force with such good cavalry. His only hope of victory was to draw the enemy down onto his men in the hedgerows armed with muskets, scythes and pikes. Here the enemy cavalry would be neutralised, and the enemy foot cut down. Victory would be his and the campaign all but won.

After two hours of bombardment, neither side had done any damage to their opponents. Feversham gave up and ordered his aide-de-camp to find shelter and billets for the Army. To the muffled cheers of the Whigs below them, at around 5 o’clock, Feversham starts withdrawing his men to Bradford-on-Avon, leaving the battlefield to the Duke of Monmouth. Feversham had lost eighty Grenadiers, Dragoons and musketeers, while the Horse Grenadier lost over 60% of their equipment.

The cost of the victory was high for Monmouth, some of his senior officers were injured, while four Captains had died. In all about twenty Whig soldiers had been killed, and another 40 lay wounded in carts heading to Frome. The Whigs had won the Battle of Norton St. Philip, but it had lost the Whigs a critical day’s march towards London and the Army needed to rest.

* In 1685 the Town was called Philips Norton.

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This account is based on a more detailed description of the Earl of Argyll’s & the Duke of Monmouth’s campaign of 1685 available in my books Fighting for Liberty and One King! both from Helion & Company.