By 2.00pm on the 2^nd of July 1644, 30,000 men were arranged in battle order on Marston Moor outside York.  These men came from four different parts of the country: Scotland, Yorkshire, Lancashire and East Anglia.  The battle commenced at around 7.30 pm and was over within two hours.  The talk explained as to why the King was at war with Parliament, why the battle took place outside York and what exactly happened during those two hours.  Key figures in the battle include prince Rupert, Oliver Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax.