PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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From the latter part of 1642 until 1644 Plymouth was held for Parliament against the forces of King Charles I during the English Civil War. The townsmen had taken advantage of the temporary absence of the King's Governor, Sir Jacob Astley, to seize the Town and fortify it. The Royalist army until the command of Sir Ralph Hopton appeared before Plymouth in December 1642 but was driven from its quarters. In September of the following year Colonel Digby was sent to blockade the Town. He made his headquarters at Plymstock, with batteries at Oreston and Mount Batten. Shortly afterwards, Prince Maurice with his army advanced on the Town and made his headquarters at Widey House. The Town was summoned to surrender. In reply, the inhabitants took a solemn vow to stand together and to surrender nothing 'without the authority and consent of both houses of Parliament'.
The plan showing the
fortifications at the time of On December 3rd 1643 was waged the famous "Sabbath-day Fight" when Prince Maurice's Cavaliers, storming along the Lipson ridge, were routed by the townsmen and driven into the marches below. In April 1644 the Royalist forces were again before Plymouth but were defeated in a battle at St Budeaux. Several other attempts to take the Town also failed. In September 1644 the King himself came to Plymouth and took up his headquarters at Widey House, which thus became Widey Court. He was no more successful in defeating the townspeople of Plymouth. After the King and Prince Maurice had departed the army was left under the command of Sir Richard Grenville, a Cornishman. After much skirmishing and taking and re-taking of the forts, news came that the Earl of Essex was bringing an army to relieve the Town and the blockade was finally abandoned on Christmas Day 1644. It was reputedly the longest and fiercest siege of its time.
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