Battle of Gunnislake New Bridge

The Battle of Gunnislake New Bridge took place on 20 July 1644 on and around Gunnislake New Bridge, a bridge over the River Tamar between Cornwall and Devon, during the First English Civil War.

Background

During the Civil War the county of Cornwall was entirely loyal to King Charles I and the Royalist cause. However, Devon was Parliamentarian, making the River Tamar the site of many battles. Each side understood that if they were to either invade the other county or defend against invasion, they had to have control of the Tamar's crossings. Gunnislake New Bridge was one of four bridges crossing the River Tamar.^[1]

Battle

The Parliamentarian forces, headed by Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, pushed into Cornwall over the bridge. They were met by Richard Grenville's forces, who were quartered at the garrisons of Cotehele House and Harewood House, Calstock. The battle was hard fought and lasted all day. The Royalists prevented the Parliamentarians from advancing further into Cornwall, at a cost of 200 casualties and many taken prisoner. The Parliamentarians lost about 40 men.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Aftermath

After the battle both sides continued to defend their ends of the bridge. Lord Essex travelled north to Launceston, leaving half of his troops defending New Bridge. He then regrouped with his other forces based in the northern half of the Tamar Valley. On the 26th of July Essex crossed the Tamar at Horsebridge, penetrating the Royalist defences and continuing into the heart of Cornwall. This advance culminated in the Battle of Lostwithiel, a disastrous defeat for the Parliamentarians.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gunnislake New Bridge.

Calstock Online Parish Clerk
Calstock History
Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for Calstock
Calstock Parish Church History, Rev Gordon Ruming

Calstock Parish, Cornwall

Government

Unitary authority	Cornwall Council
Local government	Calstock Rural District

Places

Villages	Calstock Gunnislake Harrowbarrow St Ann's Chapel Latchley
Hamlets and other small settlements	Metherell Albaston Coxpark Dimson Drakewalls Norris Green Rising Sun Cotehele Quay
School	Calstock Primary School Gunnislake Primary Academy Harrowbarrow School Delaware Primary Academy
Places of interest	Cotehele Clock Tower Quay Calstock Viaduct Calstock Roman Fort
Religious Buildings	St Andrew's Church St Anne's Church All Saints St Michael and All Angels Albaston Chapel St Thomas Becket Chapel St Katherine's Chapel The Edgcumbe Chapel
Country Houses	Cotehele House Harewood House Honicombe House
Railway Stations	Calstock Gunnislake Chilsworthy Latchley Seven Stones Luckett Callington
Valleys or Waterways	Tamar Valley Silver Valley Danescombe Valley Honicombe Valley Cotehele Quay Danescombe Quay Trelawny Island Southcott Island Tamar Manure Canal

Mining

Transportation

Bus	Plymouth Citybus
Rail	Great Western Railway Tamar Valley Line East Cornwall Mineral Railway Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway
Other	River Tamar Transport in Cornwall