Battle of Boldon Hill

The Battle of Boldon Hill was a skirmish fought during the English Civil War in March 1644, between a Royalist army attempting to bring the army of the Scottish Covenanters to battle.

The Scots having unsuccessfully attacked Newcastle-upon-Tyne crossed the River Tyne higher upstream and attempted an attack against the defences on the southern end of the bridge over the River which led directly into the city. With this attack also repulsed Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven, the Scottish commander entered Sunderland, several miles to the south as the town had declared for Parliament.

The Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne led his army out of Newcastle in pursuit of the marauding Scots, the two sides met south of Sunderland at Penshaw Hill but bad weather made a battle impossible, The Marquess retreated into the Royalist stronghold of Durham, the Scots returned to Sunderland.

In the following days Leven then made raids on Chester-le-Street, a vital crossing point of the River Wear and crucial to the Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne's communications with the rest of England and also on the Royalist garrison at South Shields, the first beaten off but the second on 20 March a success.

In response to this the Marquess led his army out of Durham towards Sunderland. On the morning of 25 March the Scots occupy Cleadon Hills and the Royalists Boldon hill. The present day village of East Boldon lies between these two hills. Neither side could see an advantage and were hesitant to engage one another. However before the day was out the two sides exchanged cannon fire and men lay dead in the valley. Shortly after this skirmish the news reached the Marquis of a major defeat for the Royalists at Selby, directly threatening York and his communications with the King.

Later that year the Royalist army was soundly beaten at the Battle of Marston Moor near York effectively ending Royalist control of northern England.

Bibliography

*Newman, P. R. (1998). "Atlas of the English Civil War". London: Routledge.
*Reed, Stuart (1999). "Scots Armies of the English Civil War". London: Osprey.
*Terry, Charles Sanford (1899). "The Life and Campaigns of Alexander Leslie, First Earl of Leven". London: Longmans.