An early, indecisive skirmish of the First English Civil War near Yeovil, illustrating the inexperience of both Royalist and Parliamentarian forces in 1642.
Key Facts
- Date
- 7 September 1642
- Royalist force size
- ~350 men
- Parliamentarian force size
- ~350 men
- Estimated Royalist casualties
- ~20 killed
- Estimated Parliamentarian casualties
- ~5 killed
- Royalist commander
- Sir Ralph Hopton
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A Parliamentarian siege of Royalist-held Sherborne had failed, prompting Parliamentary forces to retreat to Yeovil. The Royalists dispatched a detachment of around 350 men under Sir Ralph Hopton to reconnoitre the Parliamentarian movements and occupy Babylon Hill on the outskirts of the town.
As the Royalists began withdrawing from Babylon Hill near sunset, they spotted approaching Parliamentarian troops and hurriedly prepared to defend their position. The Parliamentarians launched a three-pronged cavalry attack, which the Royalists repelled, though sections of both forces were routed in the chaos, and both sides eventually withdrew under cover of darkness.
Neither side suffered significant losses, with modern estimates placing Royalist dead at around twenty and Parliamentarian dead at around five. The Parliamentarians subsequently fell back southward to Dorchester, while the Royalists abandoned the area entirely roughly two weeks later, leaving the engagement strategically inconclusive.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Sir Ralph Hopton.
Side B
1 belligerent