1643 1644 1645 1646 The battle of Marshall's Elm was a skirmish that took place near Street, in the county of Somerset, South West England, on 4 August 1642.

The engagement occurred during the build-up to formal beginning of the First English Civil War on 22 August, while the Royalists and Parliamentarians were recruiting men in the county.

The decision was based on the fact that Wells housed the county magazine, had Royalist sympathies, and was geographically central within the area.

[7] Hopton had previously acted as one of the deputy lieutenants for Somerset, making him responsible for training and leading the county's militia.

[8] Hopton's standing helped the Royalists' recruiting, but the general population of the county, many of whom were Calvinist Protestants, or worked in industries depressed by royal policies, was more sympathetic towards Parliament than the King.

[3][9][10] Broadly speaking, the Royalists were more successful in recruiting cavalry and members of the gentry;[11] Hopton, John Digby and Francis Hawley each brought a troop of horse, but attempts to raise an infantry regiment were unsuccessful.

[12] On 30 July 1642, the Parliamentarians, led by William Strode, one of Parliament's deputy lieutenants in Somerset, held a meeting to collect arms at Shepton Mallet, around four miles (6 km) east-southeast of Wells.

[15] Hertford was wary of his weak position,[11] and on 4 August he sent a mounted patrol out under the command of Sir John Stawell, composed of three troops of cavalry and some dragoons, numbering around 60 to 80 in all.

[16] The patrol, which also included several of the Royalist gentry and the experienced soldier Henry Lunsford, rode south through Glastonbury into the Polden Hills.

[17] The Parliamentarians were routed; seven were killed at Marshall's Elm,[18] and the Royalists chased some of the fleeing men for three miles (5 km), as far as Somerton.

Underdown credits their cavalry strength and leadership for the victory, highlighting that their leaders were "accustomed to command and confident of their ability to defeat larger forces of poorly officered farmers".

Groups congregated from Bristol, Gloucester, Wiltshire and throughout north-east Somerset; a range of cavalry, musketeers and countrymen wielding makeshift weapons such as pitchforks.