English: Winceby battlefield Around noon on 11th October 1643, Royalist cavalry led by Sir John Henderson and Sir William Saville, supported by infantry, on their way from Lincoln to relieve the besieged garrison at Bolingbroke Castle, were engaged by a Parliamentarian force led by Oliver Cromwell and Sir Thomas Fairfax. The Roundheads of 1,850 dragoons were already drawn up on the higher ground to the right and were greatly outnumbered by the Royalist force of 3,700 horse and 5,000 foot soldiers.

Cromwell led the charge and was almost captured by Sir Ingram Hopton when his horse was shot from under him, though he mounted a trooper's horse and re-joined the fray. Within half an hour Savilles Royalist cavalry gave way and fell back on their own infantry in chaos and confusion, pursued by the Roundhead cavalry. In the ensuing rout, men were cut to pieces in what was to become known as Slash Lane https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1224227 and Slash Hollow.

Roundhead losses were one officer and 19 men killed, the Royalist losses were over 1,000 killed and as many captured, Bolingbroke Castle surrendered and all of Lincolnshire fell to Parliament.

Short, sharp, decisive was the fray

On Winceby field that fateful day