Battlefields in the UK
Battlefield
Historians have currently located the sites of over 500 battles in England and over 350 in Scotland. These battles range from before the Roman conquest in 43 AD to battles associated with the Jacobite risings of the 1700s. Many of the battlefields are in danger of being destroyed by land use change and agricultural activities. There are many people urgently working to conserve these places.
The first set of battlefields come from the Roman campaigns in 55 and 54 BC in southeast England. Claudius led an invasion in 43 AD to take over Britain. The end of Roman control in Britain came around 410 AD. Although no Roman battle site has been officially located, many places are currently being suggested and debated. Only one major Roman battle has been pinpointed and it is in Germany.
In the 8th century Vikings began invading Britain but no battle sites have been located for earlier than the 10th century. However, researchers have discovered several Anglo-Saxon burial sites, which have helped them learn more about the battles. This period ended in 1066 with the defeat of the English army on the battlefield of Hastings. There are several known battlefields from this era. One is the Battle of Brunanburh in 937 which has been suggested to be in southern Scotland, but they are not completely sure. Next is the Battle of Maldon in 991 which took place in Maldon, Essex County, England. The Battle of Fulford took place in 1066 in Fulford, Yorkshire County, England. The Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066 took place in Catton, Yorkshire County, England. Finally, the Battle of Hastings in 1066 happened in Sussex County, England.
In medieval times, 17 battles took place between the English and Scottish from 1138 to 1547. The War of Roses, which was a conflict between the House of Lancaster and the House of York saw 9 battles in England between 1459 and 1487. The English Civil War took place between 1640 and 1651 and created 29 battlefields. This was the most intense period of warfare in English history, leaving many great historical battlefields as landmarks. Lastly, from 1661 to 1746 was the Stuart Uprisings where James II challenged the British monarchy before he was defeated at Culloden. This conflict created 8 significant battle sites.