Monument record 12500 - Civil War - Royalist Outworks and Parliamentary Siegeworks

The Royalist outworks that protected Chester during the Civil War were laid out early in 1643 by engineers under the King’s orders, ‘who caused according to the modern way of fortification to be cut a trench and mudwall to be made from Deeside without the Barrs to Deeside at the new tower, ...and turnpikes at all the outworks as Barrs, Cowlane end, by Little Northgate and at the at the mount at Deelane end, by Little St John’s, besides several mounts, pit falls and other devises to secure the outworks and annoy the enemy’s approach to the city,’ is how Randal Holme described the new fortifications (Harl MSS 2155).

Using the words ‘modern way of fortification’, Holme was referring to a system that had developed in response to artillery, comprised of an earth rampart known as the curtain, with a ditch outside it with a gentle inner face (the scarp) and a steep outer one (the counterscarp). The trace or plan of the curtain was a series of straight lengths drawn with salients and flanks to give flanking fire and with mounts for cannons, generally in the form of bastions. These bastions were symmetrical angular projections which presented flanks to cover the adjacent curtain and oblique faces to the enemy to deflect shot. There were various other types of mount, for example redoubts, which were small forts with all-round defence (1).

The line began on the north wall adjacent to the Goblin Tower (CHER 12000/5), where there is a sharp break of slope now marked by the locks on the canal. There was one mount named Morgan’s Mount (12501/1), close to the walls and one in the lane (12501/2), now called Garden Lane, leading to the stone bridge over Flookers Brook to Blacon. The works then continued to Liverpool Rd. (then called Further Northgate St.) (12501/4) and apparently crossed it beyond Rock Lane (12501/5), the little lane between Parkgate Rd. and Liverpool Rd; this lane has been identified as Prince Rupert’s great trench which lay just inside the lines (1, 2).

The line then crossed Flookers Brook to Flookersbrook Hall (12501/9), around which were works that probably converted it into a strongpoint. The line then re-crossed the brook towards Boughton, taking advantage of the slight elevation of the Cockpit Hill, and then ran parallel to Boughton across Hoole Lane and down to the river. To secure this end of the works two mounts were built (12501/10, 12501/12), one guarding the road and one on top of the cliff (which protects this flank of the line), overlooking the river.

This defensive work was over two miles long and reflects Chester’s intended role as a base for large numbers of troops from Ireland, which did not materialise. The obvious weakness of the line was the inclusion of Flookersbrook Hall, which caused necessitated crossing the brook twice. Presumably at this early stage in the war the citizens did not want to pull down the mansion, nor did they want it to fall into enemy hands. Later, when they had more experience of siege-warfare they pulled down a high number of buildings. These outworks stood for about a year and were subjected to several raids by Brereton’s forces but not to serious attack (1, 2).

In March 1644, Prince Rupert arrived to inspect the city defences. The Mayor, Randle Holme II, energetically undertook the improvements he suggested, as described in the Randle Holme papers (Harl MSS 2155): ...’the enlarging the ditches of the works both in breadth and depth, raised the mud walls, which before were but breast high to that height as a man might walk within the works and not be seen from without, cut the rock without the Northgate beyond Dutton’s turnpike in a great cut off part of the old Trenches and made new by advice of the Princes engineers...’ (1). Also in the winter of 1643/44 orders were given to pull down the suburb of Handbridge, Bache Hall and Flookersbrook Hall (2, 4).

The old works that were cut off must have been the salient out to Flookersbrook Hall and the new works are those mounts on Cowper’s plan named Reeds Mount (12501/17), Phoenix Tower Mount (12501/16), Justing Croft Mount (12501/15) and Cock Pit Mount (12501/14) with the line between them. When drawn on plan this new plan represented a regular bastion trace like what one would expect from professional Dutch military engineers. This new work must have had a rampart about 2m high, with a ditch of corresponding size, and the retained parts of the old works were made to match. These were very substantial features, but were situated in what are currently built-up areas and cannot be traced. Much was probably destroyed by the construction of the railway and the canal. ...The only part still visible is Rock Lane (12501/5), which is generally identified with ‘the great trench...without the Northgate’. It was dug to facilitate the movement of cannon between the mounts (1).

These lines were held until Prince Maurice relived Chester in February 1645, when they were again reduced in length because of the difficulty in manning them. The new line passed from the ‘...backside of the Tanners’ ditches to Cowlane Gate and so all along the walls of the city under Phoenix Tower.’ For the first time the Cowlane gate was included in the line and was ‘sodded on both sides’ (Harl MSS 2135).

From February 1645 Morgan’s Mount (12501/18) survived as an independent outwork. Lancaster described it was a ‘bulwarke next the Northgate even with the wall’. A bulwark was an alternative name for an angle-bastion which mounted cannon, though one does not know if he was using the term technically. This mount was presumably converted to provide flanking fire for the north face of the city walls after the abandonment of the outworks around the north suburbs removed the cover they had previously had. One of the largest cannon in the city was stationed here. In time of attack the mount would presumably have been supplied over the walls; the city ditch would also have provided a covered approach from the Northgate (1, 2).

In the summer of 1645, while the siege was relaxed during the approach of the king’s army, Lord Byron improved the southern defences by building a fort in Handbridge (12501/19). In spite of difficulties in raising the funds and labour it was finished just before the siege because it prevented the Parliamentarians from mounting a close blockade around the south end of the Dee Bridge. Consequently, right through to the surrender, the Royalists were able to get messengers and a trickle of supplies through the Parliamentary lines. The precise location and appearance of the fort is unknown, but some clues are available from documentary evidence. Brereton described it as very strong, and almost impregnable (2). It was close enough to the bridge to prevent it being isolated and captured yet high enough up the hill to cause considerable annoyance to the siege-lines that Breton had dug from the river to Eccleston Lane. It had at least one cannon, which supported a Royalist sally towards Dodlestone on 2 December 1645 (Harl MSS 2155). The normal form for such a fort at this period was a sconce: that is, a square fort with an angle bastion at each corner (1, 2).

Before dawn on 20 September 1645, a small group of Parliamentarians gathered at Boughton, then captured the small mount by the Dee (12501/13) and then surprised the guard at the turnpike gates. They let the rest of their force in and ultimately captured all the eastern mounts. The defenders helde the Bars for a time until the Parliamentarians found a way through the back of the adjoining houses and the defenders beat a hasty retreat into the city. From then until the surrender the Royalists held the old City Walls, Morgan’s Mount on the north and the fort in Handbridge (1).

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) (1, 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) (1).

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 (1).

It was this battery which most probably inflicted the damage on ‘Barnaby’s Tower’ (CHER 12000/27), 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. (1, 2).

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 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 1645the 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 (1).

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 (1).

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 (1, 2).

<1> Ward, S. W., 1987, Excavations at Chester, the Civil War Siege Works, 1642-6 (Excavation & survey reports), /11 (Monograph). SCH1189.

<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> Cherry, John, 1976, Post-Medieval Britain in 1979 (Article in Journal). SCH6073.

<6> Haswell, George. W, 1907, Notes on Chester Street-names past and present (Northern Section) (Article in Journal). SCH5548.

<7> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2011, Proposed New Market Hall at Frodsham Street Car Park, Chester: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, p 37 (Client Report). SCH5465.