Battle of Bossenden Wood The Battle of Bossenden Wood took place on 31 May 1838 near Hernhill in Kent ; it has been called the last battle on English soil . The battle was fought between a small group of labourers from the Hernhill , Dunkirk , and Boughton area and a detachment of soldiers sent from Canterbury to arrest the marchers ' leader , the self - styled Sir William Courtenay , who was actually John Nichols Tom , a Truro maltster who had spent four years in Kent County Lunatic Asylum . Eleven men died in the brief confrontation , including Courtenay , eight of his followers and two of those sent to apprehend them . Background . Courtenay had appeared in Canterbury in 1832 , standing unsuccessfully in the December 1832 general election and , although suspected of being an imposter , becoming a popular local figure . He had been convicted of perjury in 1833 after giving evidence in defence of some smugglers . Originally sentenced to transportation , he had been transferred to Barming Heath Asylum after a woman from Cornwall , Catherine Tom , identified him as her missing husband and said he had previously been treated for insanity . On his release from the asylum in October 1837 , instead of returning to his family in Cornwall , he stayed in Kent and built up a following in the area of Boughton under Blean , Hernhill and the Ville of Dunkirk . The area had already experienced agrarian discontent and protest against the New Poor Law of 1834 and the farm labourers , and a few of the small - holders and trades people , were receptive to Courtenay ’ s millenarian preaching and promises of a better life . On 29 May , Oak Apple Day , Courtenay and a band of followers began to march around the nearby countryside with a flag and a loaf of bread on a pole ( a traditional symbol of protest ) . Courtenay rode a grey horse ; his followers were on foot . Although at this stage the protesters were acting peacefully some wealthier landowners were becoming alarmed , and on 31 May 1838 , a local magistrate , Dr Poore , issued a warrant for Tom ' s arrest . It is not clear exactly what the warrant was for – to arrest Courtenay or to arrest workers who were in breach of contract with their employers . A parish constable , together with his brother , Nicholas Mears , and an assistant , went to find Courtenay at Bossenden Farm , where he was staying with his followers . Courtenay shot and killed the constable . Battle . When news of the murder reached the magistrates , they sent to Canterbury for soldiers and a detachment of the 45th Foot was despatched from the barracks . It was led by Major Armstrong , with three junior officers and about a hundred soldiers . The regiment had recently returned from India , and the following year they would kill twenty Chartists at Newport . While they were waiting for the soldiers , a group of armed gentry and farmers took shots at Courtenay and his band as they moved around the Hernhill area . By this time some of Courtenay ’ s followers had escaped . There were about 35 or 40 left , armed only with sticks , except for Courtenay who had pistols and a sword and one follower who had a pistol . The soldiers split into two groups to execute a pincer movement . One of the groups , led by Captain Reid and magistrates Knatchbull and Baldock , divided again , with Lieutenant Henry Boswell Bennett at the head of one of the small groups . It was this group that approached Courtenay ’ s band in the clearing , while the other group , under Major Armstrong and magistrate Poore , circled round to the far side of the clearing . There was a brief fight , lasting only a few minutes . Courtenay shot Bennett dead and then was himself shot and killed as Armstrong ’ s men opened fire and charged with bayonets . Eight of Courtenay ’ s followers were killed or mortally wounded . A young man from Faversham , George Catt , who had been helping the magistrates was caught in the soldiers ’ fire and killed . Aftermath . On Saturday 2 June Lieutenant Bennett was buried in Canterbury Cathedral precincts with full military honours . On the same day an inquest at the White Horse , Boughton , returned an verdict of " justifiable homicide " on the deaths of Courtenay and his followers . Those who were following Courtenay and were killed were : Stephen Baker ( 22 ) , William Foster ( 33 ) , William Rye ( 46 ) , Edward Wraight ( 62 ) , Phineas Harvey ( 27 ) , William Burford ( 33 ) , George Griggs ( 23 ) , and George Branchett ( 49 ) . Griggs and Branchett were buried in Boughton churchyard ; all the rest , including Courtenay , were buried in Hernhill churchyard . Over the following days about thirty of Courtenay ’ s followers were arrested and appeared either at the inquest or at the petty sessions in Faversham . Sixteen were committed for trial on a charge of murder . Ten men would eventually stand trial at Maidstone Assizes in early August , the rest having been discharged by the assize grand jury . Two ( Thomas Mears and William Price ) were charged with the murder of the brother of the constable and nine ( Thomas Mears , Edward Curling , Alexander Foad , William Foad , Richard Foreman , Thomas Griggs , Charles Hills , Edward Wraight , and William Wills ) with the murder of Lieutenant Bennett , with one , Thomas Mears , charged with both murders . Thomas Mears and William Price stood trial first . The jury returned a guilty verdict , with a recommendation for mercy . The judge , Lord Denman , duly pronounced sentence of death but immediately told the men that the sentence would not be carried out . Seeing this result , the nine charged with the murder of Lieutenant Bennett pleaded guilty ; they too were sentenced to death but immediately reprieved . Thomas Mears and William Wills were sentenced to be transported to Australia for life , William Price for ten years , and the rest were sentenced to a prison term of one year .