So, de Montfort crosses the Avon into Evesham, spending
longer there than he intends, with his army exhausted and his men queuing
and jostling to get something to eat. The King is not hurrying, either
because he is not naturally inclined to do so or because some royalist
sympathiser in de Montfort's army has got wind of what is likely to happen
and tipped him off. De Montfort then learns the appalling news, not only
that Mortimer is approaching from behind him and threatening the bridge
but that there are royalist forces north of Evesham as well. At first, the
only visible forces are on Greenhill and there is another route out of
Evesham which goes alongside the River Avon. It is a short cut, avoiding
Greenhill. De Montfort marches out in that direction. Humphrey de Bohun
wants the infantry in the rear but de Montfort is having none of that,
and moves the infantry up on the right alongside the river with the river
protecting its right flank. The cavalry are on the left, protecting the
infantry. A rear guard has been left to hold the bridge against Mortimer.
But Edward has anticipated this. From Mosham meadow, he has
sent Clare north east with his division over towards the river using the
cover of a small but longish hill so that he cannot be seen until he is
near the river and then advances rapidly towards de Montfort's army.
Clare's division crashes into de Montfort's infantry near Siveldeston. It
is too much for de Montfort's Welsh spearmen, who have probably had
little enthusiasm for the venture once east of the Severn. They abandon
the battle and try to flee over the footbridge at Offenham. Some escape,
most are either drowned in the river or cut down nearby in what came to
be known as Deadman's Ait.
Deserted by their infantry, the cavalry try to continue
alongside the river. But the enemy is too thick. De Montfort looks
towards Greenhill. The enemy line is thinner there, because of the
transfer of troops towards the river. It is his only chance. His cavalry
charge up Blayney's lane and the eastern side of Greenhill. At the top,
they force back the troops in Edward's division, who are taken by
surprise. But these rally and de Montfort's cavalry is held. Gradually
the overwhelming numerical superiority of the royalists begins to tell,
and their line, reinforced by some of Clare's troops from the east, starts
to encircle de Montfort's cavalry. The final blow comes as Mortimer's
division, brushing aside the defences at the bridge, storms up
Greenhill and smashes into the remains of de Montfort's army from the
rear. De Montfort and his entourage are killed by Mortimer's men, and the
battle breaks up into a series of rolling mauls with the rest of the De
Montfort magnates either being killed or captured depending on into whose
hands they fell.
