Atlas of Battles

naval engagement, notable, early modern

Battle of the Kentish Knock

Battle of the Kentish Knock was a naval engagement fought on 8 October 1652 at North Sea, in what is now United Kingdom. It was part of First Anglo-Dutch War, which ran from 1652 to 1654. The recorded result: English victory. Recorded strength: 62 ships; 1,900 guns; 7,000 sailors against 68 ships; 2,400 guns; 10,000 sailors.

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Action between ships in the en:First Dutch War, 1652–1654
Action between ships in the en:First Dutch War, 1652–1654. Abraham Willaerts, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought8 October 1652
WhereNorth Sea, United Kingdom51.500N, 1.200E
OutcomeEnglish victory
BelligerentsDutch RepublicagainstCommonwealth of England
Casualties and losses2 shipsandlight
Part ofFirst Anglo-Dutch War1652 to 1654

Where it sits in First Anglo-Dutch War

Battle of Goodwin Sands, 1652Battle of Plymouth, 1652Battle of Elba, 1652Battle of the Kentish Knock, 1652Battle of Dungeness, 1652Battle of Portland, 1653Battle of Leghorn, 1653Battle of the Gabbard, 1653Battle of Scheveningen, 1653Action of 29 January 1654, 165416521654Battle of the Kentish Knock, 1652
10 placed engagements of First Anglo-Dutch War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date8 October 1652
PlaceNorth Sea, United Kingdom
51.500N, 1.200E
KindNaval engagement, early modern
Strength62 ships; 1,900 guns; 7,000 sailors68 ships; 2,400 guns; 10,000 sailors
Casualties and losses2 shipslight
Commanders
  • Witte Corneliszoon de With
Battle of the Kentish KnockBattle of the Kentish KnockBattle of WippedesfleotBattle of Graveney MarshSiege of CanterburyBattle of Sandwich (1460)Battle of Sandwich (1217)Battle of Sandwich (1460)LilleBrightonLutonOxfordNorwichBruggeIpswichPeterborough100 km51.500N, 1.200E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1652

Battle of the Kentish Knock is one of 1,470 engagements of the 17th century in the atlas and one of 695 in present-day United Kingdom.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1814494, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the Kentish Knock, revision 1382692310, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.