Chester Timeline - Civil War

Loyal to the King

The English Civil War (1642 - 1646) was fought between the supporters of King Charles I and Parliament. The city of Chester was loyal to the King, but much of Cheshire and south Lancashire were on the Parliamentary side. For most of the war the Royalists in this area were on the defensive, and Chester was besieged almost continuously from 1644 until its surrender on February 3rd 1646.

King Charles came to the city on September 23rd 1645 and stayed at Gamul House in Lower Bridge Street. The following day his army was defeated at the Battle of Rowton Moor a few miles to the south-east of the city. Charles watched the final stages of the battle from the roof of the tower which is now named after him on the City Walls.

[Above] Re-enactment of the Battle of Rowton Moor, September 1995.

After the King had left, Chester was subjected to a terrifying bombardment by day and by night. Eyewitness accounts paint a graphic picture:

"The Talbott, an house adjoining to the Eastgate, flames outright; our hands are busy quenching this, while the law of nature bids us leave and seek our own security. Being thus distracted another Thunder-crack invites our eye to the most miserable spectacle spite could possibly present us with - two houses in the Watergate skippe joynt from joynt, the main posts josell each other, while the frightened casements (windows) fly for fear. In a word the whole fabrick is a perfect chaos.... The grandmother and three children are struck stark dead in the ruins of this humble edifice, a sepulcher well worth the enemies remembrance"

By the time Chester finally surrendered most of the buildings in the city and its suburbs had been destroyed or badly damaged, and most of its merchants and trades people were ruined. It took many years for the city to recover its former wealth.

 

[Above] A medal commemorating Sir Sydenham Poyntz, commander of the Parliamentary army which defeated the Royalists at Rowton Moor.

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