The Banbury mutiny was a mutiny by soldiers in the New Model Army. The mutineers did not achieve all of their aims and some of the leaders were hanged shortly afterwards on May 17, 1649.
The mutiny was over pay and political demands. The pay issue was defused by Oliver Cromwell acknowledging the justice of the soldiers' financial grievances and securing £10,000 towards payment of arrears from Parliament. But 400 troopers under the command of Captain William Thompson who were sympathetic to the Levellers set off from Banbury, where they were billeted to speak with other regiments at Salisbury about their political demands.
Major White was sent by Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax to mediate with Thompson's troops and give assurances that force would not be used against them. However on May 13 Cromwell launched a night attack. Several mutineers were killed in the skirmish. Captain Thompson escaped only to be killed a few days later in another skirmish near the Digger community at Wellingborough. After being imprisoned in Burford Church, three other leaders were hanged: William Thompson's brother, Corporal Perkins and John Church on May 17, 1649. This destroyed the Leveller's power base in the New Model Army.
The Banbury Cross of the nursery rhyme ‘Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross’ was destroyed by the Puritans in 1602, but replaced in 1859.
In the English Civil War, Banbury surrendered to Charles I in 1642, and was besieged by the Parliamentarians, led by John Fiennes, in 1643, 1644, and in 1646, when the garrison finally surrendered.
The 19th-century Banbury Cross was erected to celebrate the marriage of the Princess Royal to the Prince of Prussia, although it was completed 18 months after the wedding.
A mutiny by a minority of regiments was suppressed by Cromwell who had Private Richard Arnold, tried for mutiny and shot on the spot as an example.
In the Bishopsgate mutiny soldiers of the regiment of Colonel Edward Whalley stationed in Bishopsgate London made demands similar to those of Hewson's regiment; they were ordered out of London.
After the resolution of the pay issue the Banbury mutineers, consisting of 400 soldiers with Leveller sympathies under the command of Captain William Thompson, continued to negotiate for their political demands.
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