Battle of Hexham: Yorkists Prevail in the North
- 15 May 2025
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BATTLE OF HEXHAM: CRUSHES LANCASTRIAN RESISTANCE
Map of the battle by Charles Raymond Booth Barrett (1896)
After Towton: Resistance in the North
Although King Edward IV had won an overwhelming victory at the Battle of Towton in 1461, pockets of Lancastrian resistance remained in the north, based at the castles of Alnwick, Bamburgh, and Dunstanburgh in Northumberland.
Montagu and Somerset Meet at Devil’s Water
On 15th May 1464, John Neville, Baron Montagu, with around 4,000 troops, encountered a Lancastrian force led by Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset, at a meadow called ‘Linnels’ by a river called Devil’s Water, south of Hexham.
Lancastrian Deployment
Somerset was warned by his scouts of the impending Yorkist attack just in time and set up his men, with Lords Roos and Hungerford leading the right wing, himself at the centre, and Sir Ralph Grey and Sir Humphrey Neville on the left.
Yorkist Strategy and Victory
Lord Montagu commanded the centre of his army, with Lord Willoughby on his right wing and Lord Greystoke to his left. Montagu chose to attack with his men and pushed the Lancastrian centre over the river, where many drowned.
Collapse and Executions
Lords Roos and Hungerford then fled with their men, causing the rest of the Lancastrian force to collapse. The Duke of Somerset was captured and later beheaded at Hexham by order of Lord Montagu, along with other Lancastrian leaders. Roos and Hungerford were later captured in a wood near Hexham and suffered the same fate at Newcastle.
The End of Northern Resistance
By 20th July 1464, around two dozen Lancastrians were executed, and the castles of Alnwick, Bamburgh, and Dunstanburgh were recaptured—effectively bringing an end to resistance in the north.
The Capture of Henry VI
King Henry VI had managed to escape and hide at various locations in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the Lake District. However, on 13th July 1465, he was betrayed by ‘a black monk of Abyngtone’ at Waddington Hall in Lancashire and taken to the Tower of London for imprisonment.
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FEATURED IMAGE
![HENRY VI, King of England (1421-1471) [Wars of the Roses]](https://historymedieval.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/HENRY-VI-King-of-England-1421-1471-Wars-of-the-Roses-1.jpeg.webp)
The image depicts King Henry VI of England clad in jousting armour, riding a caparisoned horse, and wielding a sword in a pose of chivalric splendour. Created in the late 15th century, this striking illustration comes from the British Library manuscript Harley 2169, f. 3, and represents the symbolic ideal of medieval kingship at a time of intense political instability during the Wars of the Roses. The elaborate fleur-de-lis motifs on the horse’s trappings highlight England’s claim to the French throne, while Henry’s heraldic shield and surcoat reinforce his royal authority and lineage. The banner bearing the motto “Dieu et mon droit” (“God and my right”) serves as a powerful reminder of the divine justification claimed by English monarchs.
Below the mounted figure, the manuscript features a collection of heraldic arms, likely those of noble supporters or notable families associated with the king’s household or military retinue. Though Henry VI was known for his piety and introspective nature rather than martial prowess, this image portrays him in the guise of a quintessential medieval warrior-king, a likely attempt by the illustrator to affirm the legitimacy and strength of the Lancastrian cause. Such representations were often more aspirational than literal, reflecting the political need to project strength amid crisis.
SOURCES
Cohen, D. (2023). Battles of the Wars of the Roses. Pen & Sword History.
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David Cohen
David Cohen, a retired civil servant from the Ministry of Justice, holds a degree in social sciences from Leicester University. With over 40 years of dedicated study in medieval history, he is a member of the Royal Historical Society and a passionate researcher of the Wars of the Roses. He frequently visits significant battle sites, including St Albans, Barnet, Tewkesbury, and Bosworth, deepening his understanding of the period. As co-admin of the popular Wars of the Roses and Medieval History group alongside historian Sharon Bennett Connolly, he contributes insightful articles on key battles and prominent conflict figures.
