Monument record 12502 - Parliamentary Siegeworks

<1> Ward, S. W., 1987, Excavations at Chester, the Civil War Siege Works, 1642-6 (Excavation & survey reports), /12 (Monograph). SCH1189.

The Parliamentary siege works in the vicinity of Chester date from the final period after the capture of the suburbs. These were built in September and October 1645 with the object of storming the city. In the suburbs the Parliamentarians captured and excellent observation post in the tower of St John’s Church (CHER 12502/1) and it appears that they turned the church and its environs into something of a stronghold. A battery was built in the church yard, which lay north of the church, and this battery made the breach near the Newgate (CHER 12502/2).

On 26 September four siege guns arrived from Nantwich and batteries were built in ‘Eastgate St.’ (really Foregate St.) (CHER 12502/3) and opposite Morgan’s Mount (CHER 12502/4 and CHER 12502/5). These only caused superficial damage to the walls and the Eastgate. However, one of the largest cannons in the city, situated on Morgan’s Mount, was destroyed on 4 October. Having subdued this area, on 7 October the northern battery was moved ‘6 roods’ (c 30m) westwards and it made a breach in the wall west of the Goblin Tower (CHER 12502/7).

At the same time a battery mounting with one large gun was built on Brewer’s Hall Hill (CHER 12502/6) across the River Dee to fire at the defenders inside the walls. After the attacks on these breaches failed, the Parliamentary commanders resorted to close investment and bombardment. The guns at St John’s churchyard were moved to the Bowling Green south of the church (12502/13), where they could fire on the mills at the Dee Bridge and Tyrer’s water tower on the Bridge Gate.

It was this battery which most probably inflicted the damage on ‘Barnaby’s Tower’ (CHER12000/27), as this tower would have provided the city’s defenders with an excellent vantage point overlooking the siege-works. The bombardment may well have brought down the parapet of the tower and so neutralised it. In early November a mortar was brought up from Shrewsbury. The ‘grenadoes’ or shells it fired during the remainder of the siege destroyed or damaged every building in Eastgate St. and the top half of Watergate St.

At this period artillery was not plentiful; it was expensive and not easily manoeuvrable. Brereton had at this stage seven guns and the mortar. The Royalist gun destroyed on Morgan’s Mount (SECOND PHASE?) was hit by a 30lb (13.6 kilo) ball (Harl MSS 2155). This must have been fired by a ‘demi-cannon’ which weighed some 6000lbs (2722 kilo); it was not the Parliamentarians’ largest gun, which was mounted on Brewer’s Hall Hill (CHER 12502/6).

To protect these weapon’s from attach and counter-battery fire it was the practice to build batteries in the form of small forts or redoubts with embrasures for the guns. North of the Dee we have evidence for batteries on either side of St John’s, in Foregate St. and two to the north of Morgan’s Mount. Apart from those by St John’s, the exact position of these batteries is uncertain. The optimum range to breach a wall was considered to be about 220m. Besides these works, breastworks were built for musketeers at all the gates to prevent any sallies out of the city. These were probably light structures and could have been made from material derived from the ruined houses in the suburbs. The besiegers were protected on the Cheshire side from outside attack by the captured Royalist outworks. During October 1645 great concern was caused by the gathering of a Royalist relief force at Denbigh under Sit William Vaughan. Colonel Michael Jones, Brereton’s cavalry commander, wrote to him advising that as many of the forces as possible from around Chester should be withdrawn to attack Vaughan. To secure those that remained he suggested that mounts at the Boughton and Northgate turnpikes should be cut from the line (2), presumably to make free-standing redoubts which would guard each of the major roads into Chester. Though the troops were gathered and Vaughan defeated it is not certain if the mounts were modified. The two mounts concerned must be the former Royalist ones designated Dr Walley’s Mount and the Withen Trees Mount on Cowper’s plan.

South of the Dee on the Welsh Side, the Royalist mount in Handbridge prevented the Parliamentarians drawing a tight blockade round the bridge. Initially, after the suburbs were captured, forces were stationed in the surrounding villages and houses, including Eccleston, Dodleston and Lache. However, this was not sufficient to prevent supplies slipping through. On 15 October 1645 the city horse raided Eccleston and inflicted severe casualties on the garrison there. This attack stimulated the Parliamentarians into improving their defences on the Welsh side. We know of these new works from letters that Brereton wrote to the Speaker of the House of Commons to refute criticism that he was not doing enough. Again, however, their exact location and plan are uncertain.

A bridge of boats (CHER 12502/8) was constructed across the Dee from the bottom of Dee Lane, outside the Bars, to the Earl’s Eye, to enable troops to be transferred quickly in the event of attack on either side. This bridge was protected at the southern end by a mount. A further mount was constructed higher up the hill to confront the Royalist one. These were known as the Lower (CHER 12502/9) and Higher Mounts (CHER 12502/10) respectively. Brereton attempted to draw a line of circumvallation on the Welsh side, but this was never completed owing to bad weather that winter and to the number of casualties caused by fire from the Royalist works. A rampart and ditch-line was made from the Higher Mount round to Eccleston Lane (CHER 12502/11). Another was dug across Hough Green (CHER 12502/12) by December 1645 (2). There is no record of these lines being joined up. Finally there was the battery on Brewer’s Hall Hill (CHER 12502/6) built in October 1645 for Brereton’s largest artillery piece.

The position of the bridge of boats is fixed by Dee Lane, which still exists today. The lower mount protected its southern end on the Earl’s Eye. The Higher Mount must have been on the hill now covered by Queen’s Park, probably close to the river. A large body of horse and foot was stationed on it, so it must have been a substantial work. A hint of its appearance it’s found in the account of the Royalist attack on the night of 25 November 1645. Two fireboats were launched against the bridge of boats on an exceptionally high tide, while an attack was mounted on the Parliamentary works south of the river. A Royalist account describes their advance and how the Parliamentary outposts fell back into a work ‘made in the fashion of a halfe moon’ (Harl MSS 2155). This is sometimes thought to have been the Lower Mount (Dore 1966, 54), but the report sent to Brereton (2) makes it clear that it was the Higher Mount which was attacked.

The line of circumvallation which began at the Higher Mount ran in a loop round to Eccleston Lane, probably cutting it north of Netherlegh, as the Parliamentarians would have made it as short as possible. This line and one across Hough Green would presumably have been provided with flanking defence. No traces of the Higher Mount or the line of circumvallation remain above ground as all this area is now part of suburban Chester.

<2> Morris. R. (Canon), 1923, The Siege of Chester during the Civil War 1643-45. (Article in Journal). SCH5689.

<3> Harrison, S, 1984, Loyal Chester, A Brief History of Chester in the Civil War Period (Book). SCH5285.

<4> Dore R N, 1966, The Civil Wars in Cheshire (Book). SCH3108.

<5> Dore R.N, 1958, Sir William Brereton’s siege of Chester and the campaign of Naseby (Article in Journal). SCH5996.

<6> Morris Canon R H, 1964, The siege of Chester, 1643-1646 (Book). SCH3241.