FIRE PRESENTATION

THe SIege of Colchester

'The Siege of Colchester by the Lord Fairfax, as it was with the line and outworks 1648'

ARMY AT HOME

After years of disagreement, conflict began in August 1642, starting the First English Civil War.

Parliament took this as an opportunity to voice concerns around their lack of powers and declined financial support for the king.

In 1640, the king needed funds to fight a war against Scotland and called parliament back.

In 1629 King Charles I of England dissolved parliament and ruled for 10 years without it.

There were three English Civil Wars in total, the focus of each being on the power of the monarch versus the power of parliament.

The Siege of Colchester happened over the summer of 1648, during what is known as the Second English Civil War.

Background to the EngLish Civil wars

Charles was convicted of treason and executed on 30 January 1649 outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall.

Painting of Oliver Cromwell dissolving the Rump parliament. Benjamin West, 1782.

The Siege of Colchester

July 2nd - Sir Thomas Fairfax completes the circumvallation (surrounding the town with trenches/ramparts) of Colchester. July 5th - Lucas with 400 cavalry troops and Lisle with 600 infantry, attacked the Suffolk Trained Band (parliamentary forces) guarding the East Gate. The royalists were eventually pushed back into the town. July 14th - Sir Thomas Fairfax's troops seize the Hythe, Colchester's harbour on the River Colne. St John's Abbey and the house of Charles Lucas were captured by Parliamentary forces. July 15th -18th - The battle of Boxted Heath. Parliamentary victory. July 16th - Sir Thomas Fairfax sent a trumpeter offering surrender terms. Charles Lucas refused, saying that if another trumpeter were sent, they’d be hanged. July 22nd - Bernard Gascoigne escapes Colchester with cavalry and makes it to Cambridgeshire.

The events of the Siege of Colchester

June 12th - The Essex Royalists enter Colchester in the hope of gaining further recruits. Sir Thomas Fairfax joins Whalley and Honeywood at Coggeshall then push on towards Colchester. June 13th - Sir Thomas Fairfax's attempt to storm Colchester repulsed by Sir Charles Lucas. June 14th - Sir Thomas Fairfax begins preparations for a long siege at Colchester. June 19th - Three Royalist ships attempting to sail up the River Colne to bring supplies into Colchester driven back by the Parliamentarian garrison on Mersea Island. Three Parliamentarian ships arrive from Harwich to blockade the mouth of the Colne. June 24th - The Suffolk Trained Bands secure the roads leading north out of Colchester.

August 16th - Starving civilians at Colchester beg the Earl of Norwich to surrender. August 20th - The Earl of Norwich rejects new terms for surrender offered by Sir Thomas Fairfax. 21 500 starving women and children were sent by the royalists to the parliamentary line, but were driven back into Colchester by Sir Thomas Fairfax's soldiers. August 27th - Colchester surrenders to Sir Thomas Fairfax. August 28th - Colchester occupied by Sir Thomas Fairfax 29 Royalist commanders Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle executed by firing squad at Colchester.

The events of the Siege of Colchester

Musket ball holes marked on the west side of Siege House.

The Siege House Restaurant, an early 16th century timber construction.

Founded about 1100, St Botolph's was one of the first Augustinian priories in England .

St John's, a 11th century Benedictine abbey to the south of the walls

A damaged part of the wall with St Mary-at-the-Walls in the background.

The longest stretch of the wall lies to the south, boarding the Priory Street car park. The photo shows a section repaired after the siege.

The stunted tower of St Martin's, unrepaired after the siege.

The original late medieval church was severely damaged during the 1648 Siege of Colchester.

Legend had it that for grass never grew on the spot where the two commanders were killed.

A monument to the rear commemorating the exact place where Lucas and Lisle were shot.

Colchester Castle

Colchester Castle Museum

Re-enactment of the Siege of Colchester