Relief of Newark
Encyclopedia
The Relief of Newark was a Royalist
victory during the First English Civil War
. It was a personal victory for Prince Rupert of the Rhine
, and it resulted in the Royalists holding Newark-on-Trent
until very near the end of the War.
hoped to form an army in the northwest of England, built around regiments which he had been able to bring back from Ireland
as a result of the signing of a treaty, or "cessation", with the Catholic Confederates
. Lord Byron
commanded this army, but at the Battle of Nantwich
on 26 January, Byron was defeated, with heavy casualties to the first regiments of foot landed from Ireland. In the aftermath of this setback, King Charles ordered his nephew, Prince Rupert, to take command and restore Royalist fortunes in the north west. Rupert set up his headquarters in Shrewsbury
on 21 February.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentarian
forces in the midland counties advanced to besiege the Royalist stronghold of Newark on Trent. Newark was a vital garrison, as it dominated the River Trent
, and also posed a threat to the Parliamentarians in the eastern counties of England. The town's defences were naturally very strong. The Trent divided above the town and merged below it, surrounding the town with water. The garrison under governor Richard Byron, brother of Lord Byron, fortified the town itself with earthworks and batteries.
The Parliamentarian force was led by an experienced Scottish
professional soldier, Sir John Meldrum
. On 6 March, Meldrum's forces forced a crossing of the eastern branch of the river, but were thrown back when they tried to attack the town itself on 8 March. They began constructing formal siege works and entrenchments.
On 12 March, King Charles ordered Rupert to relieve Newark. Hastily returning to Shrewsbury from Chester
, where he had been conferring with Lord Byron, Rupert collected a force based around his own Regiment of Horse, and musketeers detached mainly from two regiments from Ireland (Tillier's and Broughton's) which had recently landed in North Wales and which had therefore not been involved in the defeat at Nantwich. He marched towards Newark via the Royalist-held towns of Wolverhampton
, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
and Bingham
, augmenting his force with troops drawn from their garrisons.
onto the "Island", the area between the two branches of the Trent.
When Rupert's infantry arrived, commanded by Colonel Henry Tillier, they attempted to capture the bridge of boats but were repulsed. Nevertheless, Meldrum's army was now trapped on the "Island". He had only a few days' rations, and there were quarrels among his officers, which culminated in a mutiny by a regiment from Norfolk. Meldrum asked for terms of surrender. His army was allowed to withdraw to nearby Parliamentarian garrisons, leaving behind all their weapons and ammunition. The Royalists secured 3,000 muskets.
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
victory during the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
. It was a personal victory for Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
, and it resulted in the Royalists holding Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
until very near the end of the War.
Background
At the start of 1644, King CharlesCharles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
hoped to form an army in the northwest of England, built around regiments which he had been able to bring back from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as a result of the signing of a treaty, or "cessation", with the Catholic Confederates
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
. Lord Byron
John Byron, 1st Baron Byron
John Byron, 1st Baron Byron was an English Royalist and supporter of Charles I during the English Civil War.-Life:...
commanded this army, but at the Battle of Nantwich
Battle of Nantwich
The Battle of Nantwich was fought during the First English Civil War, between the forces of Parliament and of King Charles I, northwest of the town of Nantwich in Cheshire on 25 January 1644...
on 26 January, Byron was defeated, with heavy casualties to the first regiments of foot landed from Ireland. In the aftermath of this setback, King Charles ordered his nephew, Prince Rupert, to take command and restore Royalist fortunes in the north west. Rupert set up his headquarters in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
on 21 February.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
forces in the midland counties advanced to besiege the Royalist stronghold of Newark on Trent. Newark was a vital garrison, as it dominated the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
, and also posed a threat to the Parliamentarians in the eastern counties of England. The town's defences were naturally very strong. The Trent divided above the town and merged below it, surrounding the town with water. The garrison under governor Richard Byron, brother of Lord Byron, fortified the town itself with earthworks and batteries.
The Parliamentarian force was led by an experienced Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional soldier, Sir John Meldrum
John Meldrum
Sir John Meldrum was a soldier of Scottish origin who spent 36 years in the service of the Stuart kings of Scotland and England, James VI and I and Charles I. In 1636, Meldrum was granted by letters-patent from the king licence to continue and renew the lighthouses erected by Charles I on the...
. On 6 March, Meldrum's forces forced a crossing of the eastern branch of the river, but were thrown back when they tried to attack the town itself on 8 March. They began constructing formal siege works and entrenchments.
On 12 March, King Charles ordered Rupert to relieve Newark. Hastily returning to Shrewsbury from Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, where he had been conferring with Lord Byron, Rupert collected a force based around his own Regiment of Horse, and musketeers detached mainly from two regiments from Ireland (Tillier's and Broughton's) which had recently landed in North Wales and which had therefore not been involved in the defeat at Nantwich. He marched towards Newark via the Royalist-held towns of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
and Bingham
Bingham, Nottinghamshire
Bingham is a market town in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire, England.-Geography:With a population of around 9,000 people it lies about nine miles east of Nottingham, a similar distance south-west of Newark-on-Trent and west of Grantham. It is situated where the A46 intersects the A52...
, augmenting his force with troops drawn from their garrisons.
The battle
Although Meldrum had been warned of Rupert's approach, Rupert had arrived too quickly for him to withdraw. Instead, Meldrum drew up his forces around the "Spittal", the ruins of St. Leonard's Hospice which had been destroyed by fighting in the previous year, on the east side of the Trent. Rupert's cavalry advanced by moonlight and attacked early in the morning of 21 March. Rupert left a small troop under Colonel Gerard in reserve, and led his left wing in person, while Colonel Sir Richard Crane led the left wing. Although there was severe fighting, Meldrum's horsemen were outmatched, and his army was forced to retreat across a bridge of boatsBridge of boats
A "bridge of boats" istype of bridge which floats on water instead of having permanent pillars. It is built by linking boats and the first and last being anchored to the shores. It was used as a military technique since ancient times, being the fastest method for an army to construct a water crossing...
onto the "Island", the area between the two branches of the Trent.
When Rupert's infantry arrived, commanded by Colonel Henry Tillier, they attempted to capture the bridge of boats but were repulsed. Nevertheless, Meldrum's army was now trapped on the "Island". He had only a few days' rations, and there were quarrels among his officers, which culminated in a mutiny by a regiment from Norfolk. Meldrum asked for terms of surrender. His army was allowed to withdraw to nearby Parliamentarian garrisons, leaving behind all their weapons and ammunition. The Royalists secured 3,000 muskets.