A FIELD in Winwick which was the scene of a major turning point in the second English Civil War could be in line for extra protection.

Historic England has begun a four-week consultation to decide whether to add the Battle of Winwick (also know as the Battle of Red Bank) to the Register of Historic Battlefields.

It was the final battle fought in England during the war and the site includes:

  •  the location of the initial engagement
  •  the reputed royalist headquarters
  •  the probable route of the parliamentarian cavalry during its flanking manoeuvre
  •  the ground covered by the royalist forces during their flight towards St Oswald’s Church where many of their casualties occurred.

Experts at Historic England believe that enough of the battlefield will have been preserved for the ‘potential’ to make an archaeological examination of the land to further examine what happened in 1648.

The consultation says: “Like others of the period the battlefield will certainly have surviving artefacts, in particular shot from the various firearms used.

“The marshy valleys also offer good potential survival of organic material.

“Winwick is the only battlefield from the Second Civil War which appears to survive in a good state of preservation.

“Thus the site should be understandable and have a high research potential as the battle archaeology is likely to be reasonably intact.”

Oliver Cromwell was present at the battle, according to historical evidence from the time.

No further major fighting took place in England after the battle which established the military supremacy of the Parliamentarians.

The consultation adds: “Effectively a defeat of Scotland by England, it also dispensed with the King’s major objection to the terms presented to him by parliament in 1647; that he could not agree terms with one half of the union, to which the other half objected.”

  •  For more on the consultation, which runs until November 24, visit the Historic England website at historicengland.org.uk.