The Siege of Oxford

The year was 1644. The English Civil War had already been raging on for two years. Whilst Parliament controlled the peacetime capital of London, King Charles I’s Royalists made do with their base in Oxford.

Despite Oxford City’s small size, it had become a growing capital during the conflict. Charles lived in Christ Church College, his government met over in Oriel College, a mint was lodged at what is now St Peter’s, and he held Royalist Parliament meetings in Christ Church Hall.[1]

Oxford’s defences had also been transformed to protect the Royalist city. The old town walls and castle were not strong enough to hold up against modern artillery, so they were added to with large earthen ramparts reinforced with timber, designed to absorb cannon shot.[2]

An earthen rampart is a defensive fortification built by using earth and or masonry and is often shaped into a mound or embankment.

A Hard Place to Attack

Oxford’s defences were primitive compared to the great fortresses on the continent. However, for England these ramparts, plus the marshy terrain to the south and a network of fortified towns on the outside, made the city a formidable obstacle for an army to attack!

Not that it deterred Parliament from trying three separate times to take the city from Charles.

De Gomme’s map of Oxford’s Civil War defences 1644.

May – June 1644: The First Try

At first, Parliamentarians were not looking to take over Oxford as it didn’t have many resources and wasn’t a threat to London. However, they wanted to stop the King from taking over more cities.

Charles and the Royalist army were campaigning across the country, threatening far more valuable cities to the Parliamentarian cause and required armies to stop them.

In May 1644, the Parliament’s army, led by the Earl of Essex, was on the verge of surrounding the city. To their annoyance, Charles escaped with part of his army by nightfall.[3] If Charles had failed to escape, it’s quite possible the siege would’ve been a great victory, but instead Essex followed Charles north. This meant there were no further attempts to take the city that year as the war raged elsewhere.[4]

A New Army and a New Plan

After failing to take Oxford, plus other setbacks in 1644, Parliament created the New Model Army. It was a centralised force, more under the command of professional soldiers than politicians, and to quickly end the war.[5]

Its first objective in 1645 was Oxford, but another issue was found… the Army had little heavy artillery, and so was stuck outside the walls, effectively waiting for the King to surrender.[6]

Once again, Charles would not wait for capture and left Oxford, forcing the Parliamentarians to give chase after Charles I stormed Leicester on the 31^st May.[7]

Oxford was not taken, but it was followed by the crushing Parliamentarian victory at Nasby on the 14^th June, which effectively decided the war.

The Escape Of King Charles From Oxford

The Final Siege

The final siege, starting in May 1646, was at the very end of the conflict. The small number of Royalist forces that remained had poor morale and it was clear they could not win.

Charles I knew as much and fled the city on the 27^th April, although this time in secret. However, neither did Sir Thomas Fairfax, commander of the New Model Army, necessarily wish to storm the city and face a bloody battle.[8]

In the end, there would be no great assault on Oxford, but rather lengthy negotiations for surrender. Gradually, through May and June, fighting around Oxford would cease and agreements were made for the evacuation of Royalist troops from the city.

Finally, on the 25^th of June, the keys to Oxford were handed over to Fairfax and Parliamentarian forces entered to garrison the city. When Fairfax’s men entered the Castle, they could confirm the horrifying treatment Parliamentarian prisoners had faced in Royalist hands, something which you can hear more about on our guided tours!

Experience Oxford’s greatest Civil War this summer

If you are interested in the Siege of Oxford, join us and the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote on the 21^st and 22^nd of June and experience it first-hand.

Explore the 17^th-century encampment in the Castleyard, talk with soldiers and civilians, and discover what life was really like during the Siege of Oxford – from the battlefield to behind-the-scenes spying!

Secure your place at the Siege of Oxford reenactment today.

References

[1] Stephen C. Manganiello, The concise encyclopaedia of the revolutions and wars of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1639-1660, (Oxford, 2004), pp.405-406.

[2] David Parrott, The British Civil Wars and the Defence of Oxford, (Oxford, 2019), pp.4-5.

[3] John Webb, Memorials of the civil war between King Charles I. and the Parliament of England as it affected Herefordshire and adjacent counties, (2 vols, London, 1879), pp. 42-44.

[4] Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History, (London, 2014), p. 180-181.

[5] Gaunt, A Military History, pp.204-207.

[6] Purkiss, A People’s History, p. 425.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Parrott, the Defence of Oxford, p. 5.