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FAQ: The Siege of YorkFor twelve weeks of summer 1644, Royalist forces in York were besieged by the joint armies of Parliament and Scotland. Why did the Siege last so long? Why was York so important?York was the northern capital of England. It was also the seat of the Council of the North and centre of the northern province of the Church of England. Charles I had visited York several times during the 1630s and 40s. He had visited York in June 1633 on his way to be crowned in Scotland. He stayed at the residence of the President of the Council of the North. The royal arms were erected above the entrance to the residence to commemorate the king’s visit to the city. Ever since, the building has been known as The King’s Manor. In March 1639 the king stopped in York once again on his way to Scotland – though this time to wage war, not to be crowned. A Maundy service was held in York Minster. In November 1641 the king was warmly welcomed by the city on his return from Scotland. Charles assumed that York and Yorkshire would be loyal to his cause. When he decided to raise his battle standard against Parliament in 1642, he came first to York in January 1642. On 3 June the king had hoped to gain the support of local gentry at a rally on Heworth Moor but failed to attract sufficient numbers. On 16 August Charles travelled south to Nottingham, where he raised his standard on 22 August. In December 1642 the city became the centre of operations for Royalist forces in the north, under the command of the Marquis of Newcastle. Yorkshire had now become an important recruiting ground for the Royalist cause. In September 1643, Parliament and Scotland had made an alliance (The Solemn League and Covenant). When the Scottish Army invaded England in January 1644, the Marquis of Newcastle had rushed north to halt their advance. Newcastle was forced to retreat, and his army entered York in 16 April. Who were besieging the city?The Allied Army of Parliament
and Scotland The Scottish Army were
positioned on the west side of the River Ouse, from Poppleton in
the north to Middlethorpe in the south. Why did the Siege last so long?There was no food shortage in the city. For the first five weeks of the Siege, the city was not completely encircled.From June 9-15, the Marquis of Newcastle held negotiations with the besiegers – a stalling tactic to hold out till reinforcements arrived. York’s wall defences were formidable. There was only assault on the city, at St Mary’s Tower on 16 June. The attack failed. How did the Siege end?On 1 July, the relieving army led by Prince Rupert (Charles I’s cousin) reached York. He managed to outmanoeuvre the Parliamentary army, who expected him to approach the city from the west to enter though Micklegate Bar. Instead, he outflanked the besieging forces and approached by the north – entering through Bootham Bar. While Parliamentary forces were in disarray, Rupert decided to press home his advantage, and the Royalist and Allied Armies met at Marston Moor on 2 July.The Royalist hope was effectively extinguished at the Battle of Marston Moor. The Battle was the largest and bloodiest – and possibly one of the shortest – to be fought on English soil. It is reckoned that as many as 6000 soldiers may have died in the space of two hours. Through the poor luck and judgement of the Royalists, and the bravery and skill of the Parliamentarians, the Royalists were routed. The remnants of the Royalist force headed back to York and the siege was resumed on 4 July. A lenient settlement was reached for conditions of the surrender of York on 16 July. Sir Thomas Fairfax ensured all the historical records and ancient buildings were preserved. Newcastle fled the country and Rupert joined Charles I in Oxford. The Royalists had abandoned the north.
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