Marmaduke Langdale, 1st Baron Langdale of Holme

Who was Marmaduke Langdale, 1st Baron Langdale of Holme?

Sir Marmaduke Langdale was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War.

He was the son of Peter Langdale of Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, East Riding of Yorkshire. He married Lenox, daughter of Sir John Rodes of Barlborough, Derbyshire, and his third wife Catherine, daughter of Marmaduke Constable of Holderness on 12 September 1626, at St Michael-le-Belfry in York.

He held the post of High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1639, before the English Civil War. Always a gaunt, austere and uncompromising character, he was one of those who had refused to pay ship money to the crown, but after gaining extensive military experience in Europe during the 1630s, he joined the Royalist cause at the outbreak of the war.

He commanded a brigade of horse in the army of the Marquess of Newcastle. After the Royalist defeat at the Battle of Marston Moor, he took command of the surviving cavalry from Newcastle's army. Known as the "Northern Horse", these die-hards were largely impoverished sons of gentry, and they became known for touchiness and lack of discipline.

In February 1645, Langdale led a raid into Yorkshire, defeating Major-General John Lambert at battle of Wentbridge and relieving Pontefract Castle.