1715 Battle of Preston map

Relive the Battle of Preston with Preston Historical Society. Discover all about the issues and people involved in the run-up to the battle; 2015 being the year of the Tricentenary of the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion.

Over the coming weeks Karen Doyle, secretary of the Preston Historical Society, will bring you an account of the Jacobite Rebellion which culminated in the Battle of Preston 1715 – the last battle on English soil.

Advertisements

The Jacobite rising of 1715 (also referred to as “The Fifteen” or “Lord Mar’s Revolt”), was the attempt by James Francis Edward Stuart (also called the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland for the exiled House of Stuart.

Queen Anne, born in 1655, inherited the throne in 1702. During her reign, Scotland and England found it increasingly difficult to co-exist peacefully. Eventually the situation became so untenable that the Union of the Crowns itself seemed to be in danger.

The 1701 Act of Settlement stated the throne would pass to the Electress Sophia of Hanover – a granddaughter of James VI and I and a niece of King Charles I – and her descendants. It excluded Roman Catholics from ascending the throne. Anne’s death in 1714, without leaving an heir, created the opportunity for change.

In 1714 Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch, died. Sophia of Hanover had died only a few weeks previously, so her eldest son George, Elector of Hanover, became George I of Great Britain.

The stage was set for James Francis Edward Stuart (Anne’s half-brother) to return to Scotland……….

Queen Anne

AUGUST 1^st 1714

Queen Anne  Pictured here in 1704. She died on the 1^st of August 1714.
George is crowned King of Great Britain and Ireland in Westminster Abbey.

King George I

OCTOBER 20^th 1714

King George I (of the house of Hanover) ascends the throne.

SEPTEMBER 6^th 1715

John Erskine, Earl of Mar and a Scottish Secretary of State, raises Jacobite standard of rebellion at Braemar.

The Earl of Mar in Braemar during the beginning of the Jacobite uprising

OCTOBER 20^th 1715

Thomas Forster, the Earl of Derwentwater and Lord Widdrington  take up arms in Northumberland.

Jacobite rebels join up and march into England via Longtown and Brampton.

Thomas Forster

Earl of Derwentwater

Lord Widdrington

Lieutenant-General George Carpenter

OCTOBER 20^th 1715

Lieutenant-General Carpenter, Government army commander, leaves Newcastle upon Tyne to meet the rebels with three regiments of dragoons and Sir Charles Hotham’s infantry regiment.
When they reach Alnwick they hear that the Jacobites are advancing into England. They decide to march at speed towards PRESTON to meet the rebels.

We are indebted to Aidan Turner-Bishop of the Preston Historical Society, for his assistance in providing the timeline of events during the 1715 uprising and battle.

There will be further bulletins of the 1715 Battle of Preston timeline of events on Blog Preston, coming very soon.

Advertisements

List of 1715 related events taking place in Preston.

Are you involved in the commemoration of the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion? Let us know in the comments below.