Battle of Billericay

The Battle of Billericay took place on 28 June 1381 when the boy King Richard II's soldiers defeated the Essex rebels adjacent to a wood north-east of Billericay, part of the Peasants' Revolt. This is likely to have been Norsey Wood which maps of 1593 show to cover the same extent as in the early 20th century.

The king's forces were led by Thomas of Woodstock, the Earl of Buckingham and Sir Thomas Percy.

It is thought that 500 Essexmen were killed and buried at Great Burstead churchyard and 800 horses were captured.

The details comprising this overview have been summarised from a piece written for the Norsey Wood Society newsletter by Billericay historian Julian Whybra: http://www.norseywood.org.uk/society/newsletter/130_Norsey_Wood_Newsletter_Summer_10.pdf

His ultimate sources were the Westminster Chronicle attributed to Robert of Reading and the Historia Anglican by Thomas Walsingham.