1st Battle of St Albans

 

Commerorative Plaque

Mark Haward

The first battle of the “Wars of the Roses” was fought out between the retinues of King Henry VI’s supporters and those of the Duke of York and his allies.

The Duke of York along with his kinsmen the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury, raised around 3,000 men and attacked Henry’s army of 2,000 men who had barricaded themselves inside the town of St Albans.

After the Yorkist’s initial attacks had been repulsed, Warwick’s men forced their way into the town and the King’s forces were overwhelmed in the street fighting that ensued.

The Duke of Somerset, the Earl of Northumberland, Lord Clifford, plus about 50 other notable Lancastrians, were killed in the fighting.