Battle of Powick Bridge The Battle of Powick Bridge , fought on 23 September 1642 , was the first major cavalry engagement of the English Civil War . It was a Royalist victory . According to Hugh Peters it was " where England ' s sorrows began " . Prelude . King Charles I of England had left London and raised his standard in Nottingham on 22 August 1642 . Although some skirmishing had occurred throughout the country , it was on 13 September , that the main campaign of the First English Civil War opened . King Charles , in order to reach the armouries of Derbyshire and Staffordshire , and find recruits amongst his sympathisers and trained bands , and also to be in touch with his disciplined regiments in Ireland by way of Chester , moved westward from Nottingham through Cheshire to Shrewsbury . The Earl of Essex with an army of about 20 , 000 men followed suit by marching his army from Northampton to Worcester . Battle . Near Worcester , a sharp cavalry engagement , now known as the Battle of Powick Bridge , took place on 23 September between the advanced cavalry of Essex ' s army , and a force under Prince Rupert , which was engaged in protecting a small Royalist supply train bringing " plate " donated by the University of Oxford to the King ' s mint for smelting into coin , and which was sheltering in Worcester . The " battle " was closer to a skirmish , but nonetheless important . It started almost farcically , the two opposing cavalry units having set up camp in almost adjacent fields , it was only by luck that the Royalists stumbled across the enemy first and did not give the game away . In the ensuing excitement Prince Rupert showed the leadership that earned him his reputation as a dashing officer . Instructing his men to mount up and attack before the Parliamentarians could organise themselves , he led his force into the enemy camp , with some of them not having had time to do up their breast plates , their armour flapping as they rode . His men surprised and routed the opposition . Casualties were minimal on both sides but the University silverware had been saved and would serve to bankroll the King for start of the war , while Essex was put on the back foot . The result of the fight was the immediate overthrow of the Parliamentary cavalry , and this gave the Royalist troopers a confidence in themselves and in their brilliant leader , which was not shaken until they met Oliver Cromwell ' s Ironsides . Aftermath . Rupert soon withdrew north to Shrewsbury , where he found many Royalist officers eager to attack Essex ' s new position at Worcester . But the road to London now lay open and it was decided to take it . The intention was not to avoid a battle , for the Royalist generals wanted to fight Essex before he grew too strong , and the temper of both sides made it impossible to postpone the decision . In the Earl of Clarendon ' s words : " it was considered more counsellable to march towards London , it being morally sure that Essex would put himself in their way " . Accordingly , the army left Shrewsbury on 12 October , gaining two days ' start on the enemy , and moved south - east . This had the desired effect . Parliament , alarmed for its own safety , sent repeated orders to Essex to find the King and bring him to battle . Alarm gave way to determination , when it was discovered that Charles was enlisting papist s and seeking foreign aid . The militia of the home counties was called out . A second army under Earl of Warwick was formed round the nucleus of the London trained bands , and Essex , straining every nerve to regain touch with the enemy , reached Kineton , where he was only seven miles ( eleven kilometres ) from the King ' s headquarters at Edgecote , on 22 October . The inconclusive Battle of Edge Hill was fought the next day . By coincidence the English Civil Wars ended with another clash at Powick Bridge almost exactly 9 years later at the Battle of Worcester on the 3 September 1651 . The Royalists broke the bridge , but Major - General Richard Deane forced his way over the River Teme and pursued them into Worcester . After the battle the New England preacher Hugh Peters gave the Parliamentarian militia a rousing farewell sermon " when their wives and children should ask them where they had been and what news , they should say they had been at Worcester , where England ' s sorrows began , and where they were happily ended " .