Victory in battle for 1643 memorial

A stone commemorating the Battle of Hopton Heath, near Stafford, is ready to be put in place with its plaque affixed.

History enthusiasts collected the stone yesterday and moved it to MoD Stafford, which owns the land where the ferocious Civil War clash took place.

It will be cemented in position before being unveiled at a ceremony on March 22 – the closest Sunday to the date of the battle on March 19, 1643.

The stone was carved last November and has now been fitted with a plaque recording the details of the historical event.

Dave Cooper, of the West Midlands Branch of the Military Historical Society, picked up the stone from the Hollington stone merchants who carved it, and transported it to Leander Architectural of Dove Holes, near Buxton, to have the bronze plaque affixed before taking it to MoD Stafford.

Mr Cooper described the completed monument as "very austere" and said he was looking forward to March's unveiling ceremony, which will be the culmination of six years of campaigning.

The monument is set to be unveiled by a direct descendant of the Royalist leader killed during the battle, the Earl of Northampton.

Spencer Compton, Marquess of Northampton, will carry out the ceremonial duty in tribute to his ancestor, who shared his name and was killed after falling from his horse and becoming surrounded by Parliamentarian soldiers.

The leader of 1,200 Royalist troops, Earl Spencer Compton was a lifelong friend of Charles I and his body was held to ransom after his death, changing the course of the battle in the Roundheads' favour.

Mr Cooper, along with other members of the West Midlands Military Historical Society, has been campaigning to get the memorial in place since 2005.

The project has encountered several obstacles – including wrangles over the siting of the stone, which was originally proposed for nearby land outside MoD Stafford's boundary fence.

However, Mr Cooper said the new location was ideal and, close to a public footpath, will be easily viewable. The former policeman, aged 44, also believes the stone will boost the profile of the 1743 battle, which he says few people in Stafford are aware of.