English Civil War and Jacobite Rebellion Battlefields in the UK

Period accommodation for those exploring Britain’s most famous post-medieval battlefields

See the Battlefield Tours index

Do-it-yourself battlefield tours are increasingly popular. However, anyone intending to do so without in-depth knowledge is strongly advised to consult reputable guidebooks or documents in order that they gain the best possible experience during their visit. Nights in the Past is not a tour operator and our aim instead is simply to help travellers find historic accommodation as close as possible to the intended destination.

There are a great number of battlefields throughout the British Isles, and it would be difficult to supply exhaustive information on all of them. As such, we have highlighted a number of those which have the highest historical profile.

We highly recommend visiting the Battlefield’s Trust for further historical information and practical accessibility details.

Culloden
16th April 1746. Location: 5 miles to the east of Inverness, Scotland

The final land battle to be fought in Britain, Culloden saw the end of the Jacobite Rising and the exile of Charles Edward Stuart. The battlefield is accessible all year round, while the visitor’s centre is open 1st February to 31st March 10am to 4pm, and 1st April to 31st October from 9am to 6pm. It is closed during January, and from 24th to 26th of December.

Period and Historic Hotels near Culloden Battlefield: Not to mention Culloden House Hotel would be foolish. After all, it was on the site that Bonnie Prince Charlie spent his final night before defeat at the battle and fleeing into exile. This beautiful building offers 28 individually furnished guest rooms and award-winning hospitality.

Flodden
9th September 1513. Location: Branxton, Northumberland.

The border between England and Scotland has witnessed a few notable battles over the centuries, but Flodden is probably the most renowned. It was here that a numerically superior Scottish force of around thirty five thousand were crushed by an English army under Earl Surrey. Indeed, James IV of Scotland was killed in action along with numerous nobles. There is some limited access, with good views of the site from the monument at Piper’s Hill.

Period and Historic Hotels near Flodden Battlefield: Most of the closest accommodation to Flodden is within the famous little town of Coldstream just over the border in Scotland. However, on the English side of the border and within easy reach of the site one finds Tillmouth Park Country House. Dating from 1882 (but with a history dating much further back) it offers 14 guest rooms including some with four poster beds. The Collingwood Arms in Cornhill on Tweed is a splendid Georgian building which has been recently refurbished (2007). Information on all can be found at Coldstream’s entry at LateRooms.com

Marston Moor
2nd July 1644. Location: Long Marston, 5 miles W of York.

Marston Moor is arguably only eclipsed by Towton in terms of sheer carnage, and can also claim to have been the largest battle ever fought in Britain. A victory for Parliamentarian forces, Marston proved pivotal in the English Civil War.

The most important facet of the terrain today is that it is largely identical to how it would have been in 1644. Indeed, the so-called Fox covert where the final scenes of the battle took place is still in existence and almost wholly unaltered. While access onto the agricultural land is very limited, the visitor can still access the central part of the battlefield along the road between the two villages. It is here that the monument is situated.

Period and Historic Hotels near Marston Moor Battlefield: Anyone seeking a range of options for period accommodation in the area is best served by the city of York. These include the Guy Fawkes Hotel (the supposed birthplace of the infamous gunpowder plotter).

Naseby
14th June 1645. Location: Naseby, Northamptonshire.

Arguably the pivotal battle of the English Civil War, with the Royalist forces under Prince Rupert all but wiped out by the New Model Army. Indeed, of an overall force of circa 12,000 it is estimated that only 4,000 escaped the battlefield where around 1,000 lost their lives.

Sadly, there isn’t much information available to the visitor on site, and much of the ground is inaccessible. However, there is an excellent vantage point from the monument.

Period and Historic Hotels near Naseby Battlefield: A short drive from the site one finds Highgate House, a 17th century coaching inn turned country house (although accommodation is largely in contemporary extension). There are more accommodation options in Market Harborough, including the The Three Swans and The Angel (a 16th century inn). Reviews and details for both are available at Booking.com

Sedgemoor
6th July 1685. Location: Westonzoyland, 3 miles SE of Bridgwater.

The Battle of Sedgemoor ended the Monmouth Rebellion, with the 3,500 or so rebels roundly defeated by a smaller, but more effective, Royalist army led by Lord Feversham. The event is significant for several reasons, not least because it represented the very last pitched battle to be fought in England. Moreover, the aftermath was even more appalling than the fight itself, with the infamous Bloody Assizes being held at nearby Taunton Castle (see our Somerset and Avon section). Interestingly, the author Daniel Defoe is said to have fought as a rebel soldier.

Access to the battlefield is quite good, with a ‘Pitchfork Rebellion Trail’ available from the church in the village of Chedzoy.

Period and Historic Hotels near Sedgemoor Battlefield: The nearby town of Bridgwater offers the visitor the most local options for heritage accommodation. Hill View Bed & Breakfast is possibly the closest to the site, while the Old Vicarage is located in the centre of the town.

Tewkesbury  
4th May 1471. Location: 0.5 miles S of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire

Fought between the Houses of Lancaster and York, the latter’s emphatic victory resulted in a period of relative peace under Edward IV. During the battle as many as 2000 Lancastrians are thought to have perished, many of them in an area known as Bloody Meadow. There is some access including a visitor trail and information boards.

Period and Historic Hotels near Tewkesbury Battlefield: Unsurprisingly, most options for accommodation from centuries gone by are to be found in the town itself. The centrally located Tudor House Hotel is, as the name suggest, of that era while the timber-frame Bell Hotel is also of historical interest. Information on both is available at Tewkesbury’s entry at LateRooms.com. Also see our main Historic Hotels in Gloucestershire section

Stow-on-the-Wold
21st March 1646. Location: Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire

The Battle of Stow effectively ended the First Civil War. With little more than the remains of Royalist soldiers still able to fight, their commander, Sir Jacob Astley, came close to prevailing against a slightly smaller Parliamentarian force. While there is some access to the area in which fighting initially took place, there is little in the way of information available to the visitor. However, anyone standing by the cross in the town’s square will be precisely where the battle ended. Having retreated into Stow, Astley sat beneath the monument and conceded defeat.

Period and Historic Hotels near Stow on the Wold Battlefield: One is almost spoilt for choice for heritage accommodation in and around Stow. However, there are a couple of properties offering accommodation which would have been standing at the time and from whose windows the running battle would have been visible. The Royalist is one such building, and especially attractive to the visitor given its status as one of the oldest hotels in England. Also see our specific page for The Kings Arms.