Sir William Waller launched a surprise attack on the Royalist winter garrison at Alton in Hampshire on 13 December 1643. Fighting centred upon the town and St Lawrence's Church, where Royalist commander Richard Bolle was killed. Parliamentarian forces captured numerous soldiers and officers.

Bullet marks and fighting within the church made Alton a memorable example of sacred space violated by civil conflict. Narratives of the battle combined military reportage with reflection on death, sacrilege and divine judgement.