In October 1644 one of the most important battles of the Civil War took place across Shaw and Donnington and the neighbouring parishs of Speen, Newbury and Thatcham.

The Parliamentary forces massively outnumbered the Royalists and were in a position to attack in force from both sides of the Royalist positions. At that time defeat for the King could well have ended the war.  However, the Royalist defences held out against a poorly coordinated attack and neither side could claim a victory.

As a result of the battle was the Parliamentarians had a huge row about who was to blame for their failure to defeat Charles. The two main protagonists leading the arguments were the Earl of Manchester, who led the eastern forces in the battle and Oliver Cromwell who commanded a cavalry regiment among Sir WIlliam Waller's forces attacking from the west. The result was the formation of the New Model Army which eventually brought Cromwell to power.