Colonel John Lambert’s Regiment of Horse

Later Lord Fauconberg’s, then Colonel Hugh Bethell’s Regiment of Horse

Northern Association horse continuing to serve throughout the Commonwealth and Protectorate, notably at Preston, Dunbar and Worcester

• July: Taken over by Lambert

• May: Under Lambert’s command in the North
• July: Skirmish at Penrith?
• July: Skirmish at Appleby?
• July: Skirmish at Stainmore?
• August: Battle of Preston
• August: Battle of Winwick Pass
• October: Quartered near Edinburgh
• November to March 1649: Siege of Pontefract

• March: Taking of Pontefract
• April: Selected by lot for service in Ireland but instead remain in northern England to guard against the Scots
• Quartered in Derbyshire and Lincolnshire
• July: Rokeby’s regiment probably reduced into Lambert’s

• July: Invade Scotland under Cromwell
• July: Skirmish at Musselburgh
• September: Battle of Dunbar
• December: Battle of Hamilton

• July: Battle of Inverkeithing
• August: Battle of Warrington Bridge
• August: Skirmish at Upton Bridge?
• September: Battle of Worcester

• February: Sent to Scotland
• Garrison Burntisland, St Johnston and Blair Atholl
• May: Skirmish at St Johnston (Baynes’ troop)
• July: Skirmish at Dalnaspidal (Pockley’s troop)?
• December: Return to England

• Quartered in Yorkshire and the North Midlands
• March: Arrest Royalists planning risings in Cheshire and Newark

• July: Lambert dismissed

• January: Lord Fauconberg appointed Colonel

• April: Lambert re-instated as Colonel
• August: Battle of Winnington Bridge
• August: Taking of Chester
• August: Taking of Liverpool
• October: In London
• November: March North with Lambert to Newcastle

• January: At York, re-organised by Monck
• January: Monck appoints Bethell Colonel
• November: Disbanded in Yorkshire

A history of the regiment is given in The Regimental History of Cromwell's Army by Sir Charles Firth and Godfrey Davies, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1940.

Lambert had raised and led his own regiment of horse in Fairfax’s northern army during the First Civil War, Colonel John Lambert’s Regiment of Horse. After the Self-Denying Ordinance he replaced Lord Fairfax as commander of the Northern Association and was himself replaced by Sydenham Poyntz after being wounded at Pontefract. In 1647 Poyntz was removed from office and Lambert was made Major General of the Northern Association once again. At this time he took over one of the Northern regiments of horse, but so far I have not been able to identify which one. Probably it was Lambert’s old regiment or Sir Thomas Fairfax’s, likely commanded in the interim by Poyntz.

During the Second Civil War Lambert led a detached force in the North, fighting a number of delaying actions against the Scots before uniting with Cromwell before Preston. He was then sent with three regiments into Scotland, quartering near Edinburgh, before returning to Yorkshire to command at the siege of Pontefract.

In 1650 Lambert and his regiment served in Cromwell’s invasion of Scotland, notably being heavily engaged at Musselburgh and one of four regiments leading the onset at Dunbar. Lambert then led a detached force again, winning victories over the Scots at Hamilton and Inverkeithing, but, outnumbered, failing to stop their advance South at Warrington. Prior to the Battle of Worcester he captured Upton Bridge, a key factor in the victory.

The regiment had a quieter time in the 1650s, they served in Scotland once again in 1654, suppressing Glencairn’s rising. In 1659 Lambert led them to victory over Booth’s rising in Cheshire. In 1660 they joined Monck with little fuss, and were disbanded in their native Yorkshire in the November.

According to Blount: Col. Lamberts devise of Yorkshire, may seem to speak no ill to Monarchy, where was figured a regall Crown set on the top of a Pillar, and a hand out of a cloud holding it on, with this motto, UT SERVAT INCOLUMEN²⁾. Illustration 1 shows another design for Lambert's cornet, blue and red with the motto PRO REGE ET VERITATE “For King and truth”. Whether these deigns were carried by Lambert's New Model regiment or his First Civil War regiment is currently uncertain.

John Lambert

Thomas Belasyse, Lord Fauconberg

Hugh Bethell

James Nayler a charismatic preacher, he was quartermaster to the regiment.

• Six troops