Siege of Colchester

Historical Context Note

Andrew Hopper (The University of Leicester)

Ed. by Jacqueline Eales, Canterbury Christ Church University
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.04: English Writing and Culture of the Seventeenth Century, 1625-1688.
Vol. editors: Jennifer Brady (Rhodes College), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Neil Forsyth (Université de Lausanne), Claire Preston (Queen Mary, University of London), J A Roe (University of York), Virginia Mason Vaughan (Clark University)

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Battle

Dates

Date of occurrence 1648-06-13-1648-08-28

Places

United Kingdom (Location)

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The climax of the second civil war in southern England was the siege of Colchester by Lord Fairfax with a detachment of the New Model Army supported by parliamentarian militia regiments from Essex and Suffolk. This became the most brutal and bitter civil war engagement in England: a 75 day siege with repeated skirmishing, sniping and bombardment, in which the conduct of both sides swiftly deteriorated.

Over five thousand royalist insurgents gathered in Colchester by 12 June 1648, including London apprentices, turncoats from the local militia, conscripted townsmen and royalist fugitives from the failed uprising in Kent. Although the royalist general was George Goring, earl of Norwich, the local Colchester man, Sir Charles Lucas commanded in practice. On 13 June, fatigued by their swift

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370 words

Citation: Hopper, Andrew. "Siege of Colchester". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 May 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=2344, accessed 21 November 2024.]

Siege of Colchester

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