The English Civil War 1642-1651

[Bootie]

The English Civil War (1642-1651) was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The first (1642-46) and second (1648-49) civil wars pitted the supporters of King Charles I against the supporters of the Long Parliament, while the third war (1649-51) saw fighting between supporters of King Charles II and supporters of the Rump Parliament. The Civil War ended with the Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651.

The Civil War led to the trial and execution of Charles I, the exile of his son, Charles II, and replacement of English monarchy with first, the Commonwealth of England (1649-53), and then with a Protectorate (1653-59), under Oliver Cromwell's personal rule.

The monopoly of the Church of England on Christian worship in England ended with the victors consolidating the established Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. Constitutionally, the wars established the precedent that an English monarch cannot govern without Parliament's consent, although this concept was established only with the Glorious Revolution later in the century.

 

[steve]

A bridge on this site at Pershore was the scene of fighting in a skirmish during the Civil War..........some light reading.....

To the south of the town the Evesham road, there called Bridge Street, passes over the Avon by Pershore Bridge. In 1290 Sir Nicholas de Mitton left 12d. for the repair of this bridge. In 1322 it was in a ruinous state, and in spite of pontage grants in that year and 1337 seems to have remained in an unsafe condition until 1346, when an inquiry was made as to the liability for its repair and the method of expenditure of the pontage levy. The men of Pershore placed the liability on the Abbot of Westminster, who owned the land on either side, but after much litigation it was decided in 1351 that the obligation to repair the bridge lay equally between the abbot and the men of the town. In 1388 it was again in ruins, and when Pershore Abbey was destroyed some of the materials were used for repairing it. In 1607 its condition caused grave danger to travellers using it. On 5 June 1644 Pershore Bridge was destroyed by King Charles's army on the way to Worcester to prevent Waller from following, and forty men were drowned owing to the haste with which the destruction was completed. The present bridge is a structure of various dates and the subject of numerous partial rebuildings and repairs. It consists of four sections, of which the third from the north spans the main stream of the Avon; all except the last section appear to be of mediaeval origin. The first consists of three semicircular arches with split water piers and refuges on the east side, which is of stone; the west side is of brick. The second section is also of three spans with similar piers and refuges on both sides; it is repaired in brick. The third or main section is of seven spans with semicircular arches and similar piers and refuges on the east side only; the parapets are of brick and the fourth arch is wider than the rest. This arch, the one broken down by Charles I, was repaired in stone, locally said to have been taken from the ruins of Elmley Castle. The fourth section, consisting of two brick arches, is of more recent date. The Dean and Chapter of Westminster now repair Pershore Bridge, paying the county council for doing the work.

Here's a snap I took, and yes, you guessed it.......I was there on the motorbike.

My bike at one end of the bridge........

Steve

 

[Louis]

Cleaning of lost images.