What Battles Have Taken Place In Berkshire?

The historic county of Berkshire also known as the Royal County on account of its association with the monarchy by way of Windsor Castle is also one of the oldest in the UK believed to have been first formed in the 9th century AD. The county lying in the south eastern part of England has witnessed several battles throughout its history mainly due to its strategic location.

Alfred the Great and the Saxons fought several encounters with the Danes in the Berkshire region the most notable being the battles of Englefield (870) and Ashdown (871) which ended in victory for the Saxons while in the battle of Reading (871) the Danes were the victors defeating Alfred's brother Ethelred then King of Wessex.

In the period of the English Civil War Newbury in Berkshire was the site of two important battles fought in 1643 and 1644 which though not an outright victory for the Parliamentary forces over the Royalists led by Charles I himself, ensured that the Parliamentary forces would remain the more powerful adversary in future encounters.

Reading in Berkshire was the site of a second battle in 1688 in the times of the Glorious Revolution, between Irish forces of James II, and Dutch forces of William and Mary which ended in victory for the Dutch and the subsequent dethroning of James.