BANBURY MUTINY

The 'Banbury mutiny' was a mutiny by soldiers in the English New Model Army. The mutineers did not achieve all of their aims and some of the leaders were hanged shortly afterwards on May 17, 1649.
The mutiny was over pay and political demands. The pay issue was defused by Oliver Cromwell acknowledging the justice of the soldiers' financial grievances and securing £10,000 towards payment of arrears from Parliament. But 400 troopers under the command of Captain William Thompson who were sympathetic to the Levellers set off from Banbury, where they were billeted to speak with other regiments at Salisbury about their political demands.
Major White was sent by Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax to mediate with Thompson's troops and give assurances that force would not be used against them. However on May 13 Cromwell launched a night attack. Several mutineers were killed in the skirmish. Captain Thompson escaped only to be killed a few days later in another skirmish near the Diggers community at Wellingborough. After being imprisoned in Burford Church with the other mutiniers, three other leaders were hanged: William Thompson's brother, Corporal Perkins and John Church on May 17, 1649. This destroyed the Leveller's power base in the New Model Army.
Each year since 1975, Levellers' Day has been held in the Oxfordshire town of Burford to commemorate the three Levellers executed there. A different theme is chosen for each Levellers' Day and speakers are invited to speak on the theme during the morning, this is followed by a procession around the town and a ceremony in the churchyard. In the afternoon there is music and other entertainment usually held in the garden of Warwick Hall which is next to the church. In 1979 a plaque to the three soldiers on the church wall was unveiled by Tony Benn to commemorate the event.

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See also

See also

★ The English Civil War

★ The Putney Debates

★ The Corkbush Field mutiny November 1647

★ The Bishopsgate mutiny April 1649