The Bromsgrove Society - Pride, Preservation, Progress

Hi everybody,

Firstly this doesn't really fit the 'Buildings' category, however it does fall under the 'History' tag.

I live in Sidemoor and I've always been facinated by the referencs (seemingly) to a battle near the fields just the other side of the motorway. There is Battlefield brook, Red Cross Farm and the Array Fruit Farm; where do they take their names from? I can find no refernce to a 'skirmish' or 'battle' on any of the civil war websites (some are quite detailed) so I was wondering if anybody had any thoughts. A friend of mine pointed out the reference in one of the older Bromsgrove history books (the map of Charles' army heading through our area) and I know there is some reference in the Array farm shop as well. Is this based on factual evidence?

Excellent new website by the way!!!

Cheers,

Leigh

Hi,
There's a reference to Battlefield Brook in the Society's "Bygone Bromsgrove".
"This and Battlefields Farm on the Kidderminster Road get their name because of a skirmish there by patrols during the Battle of Worcester".

Thanks Chris!!

I've looked at all of the websites for the English Civil War and I cannot see any indication of a skirmish around Bromsgrove (thats not to say there wasn't one). I wonder if the library has any info on it? Pehaps I need to get Time Team to dig a big hole somewhere near!!

I'll keep on looking.

Leigh

Hi,

There was a Battlefield before 1630, it is mentioned in a will, so it can't be the Civil War.

Thanks Jenny!

I have contacted the Battle of Worcester society to confirm whether or not they have any info. However, based on what you've said, may be I'll look a bit further back.

Leigh

There is a book relating to the Hamlet of Dodford that says the battle could have been as early as the reign of King Stephen; however the battle that is mentioned - "The Battle of the Standard" was actually much further away. It concludes that it could have been a skirmish between angles/saxons or even before then. It also says that we will most probabley never know.

I think only archaeology would be able to tell us!!

Leigh