On 17 September 1644, a Parliamentarian force commanded by Sir John Meldrum advanced to engage a Royalist army led by Lord Byron which was besieging Montgomery Castle in mid Wales.

The Royalists retained a presence in North and Mid Wales after their defeat, but could not again gather a field army in the region until the end of the civil war.

On 2 July, Rupert was defeated at the Battle of Marston Moor, outside York, and retreated with his surviving forces into Lancashire and subsequently into Cheshire.

[1] In August, Byron was driven from Lancashire, leaving Liverpool as the only major Royalist position in the county, under siege by forces under Sir John Meldrum.

Early in September, Parliamentarians under Myddelton and Mytton advanced from Oswestry into the upper River Severn valley and captured Newtown by surprise.

Meldrum formed up on flat ground 2 miles (3.2 km) to the north near the River Camlad, with part of Offa's Dyke protecting his flank.

Byron ordered an attack, intending to capture Salt Bridge over the Camlad and cut off Meldrum's retreat.

Behind Byron, Mytton sallied from Montgomery Castle to defeat the detachments left to defend the siege works.

It was said that after his Yorkshire infantry had been repulsed three times, he led them in a final victorious charge against Royalist pikemen, but received up to 15 wounds.

In April 1645, a Royalist detachment from the King's "Oxford Army" under Lieutenant General Charles Gerard recovered parts of Cheshire and recaptured Newtown.

Charles, who was then based in Raglan Castle in South Wales, led his remaining forces to relieve Chester, but was defeated at the Battle of Rowton Heath, just outside the city.