Kent Trained Bands facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kent Trained Bands
Active	1572–1662
Country	England
Branch	Trained Bands
Role	Infantry and Cavalry
Size	6 Regiments + 6 Auxiliary Regiments
Engagements	First Bishops' War Relief of Gloucester First Battle of Newbury Siege of Arundel Second Battle of Newbury

The Kent Trained Bands were like a part-time army made up of people from Kent in South East England. They were first set up in 1558. These groups were called upon to defend England and keep things peaceful at home. They even helped during big events like the Spanish Armada in 1588 and fought in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Over time, they slowly faded away in the early 1700s.

What were the Trained Bands?

The idea of a local army in England goes way back to Anglo-Saxon times. Everyone was expected to help defend their area. This system changed over the years. By the 1500s, new laws made it clear that each county needed its own local defense force. A special leader, called the Lord Lieutenant, was put in charge of these forces by the King or Queen.

Training for Defence

It wasn't practical to train every single person. So, after 1572, only a special group was chosen to be the Trained Bands. These chosen people would practice regularly. In Kent, they often met at a place called Muster Oak. The goal was to train for about 10 days a year. This included big national training days and smaller, more detailed sessions.

When war with Spain started, training the local forces became very important. Kent was a "maritime" county, meaning it was on the coast and at risk of invasion. By 1584, Kent had 2,500 trained men. Some had early firearms, some had bows, and others were "corslets," which were armored soldiers with long spears.

Defending England from the Spanish Armada

In 1588, the Spanish Armada was a huge fleet of Spanish ships planning to invade England. This was a big emergency! The Kent Trained Bands were called up in April. The Lord Lieutenant of Kent reported that there were 10,866 able-bodied men, and 2,953 of them were trained.

When the Armada got close in July, the trained bands were called out. About 7,124 men were ready, though many were not fully trained. This group included different types of soldiers, like cavalry (soldiers on horseback). Kent was a key location because it was threatened from the south, east, and north.

The forces in Kent were split into two groups, based in Maidstone and Canterbury. Some Kentish trained men were sent to join the main army in London. Others were ready to go to the nearby county of Sussex if the Spanish landed there. Luckily, the Armada was defeated at sea, so no Spanish troops landed. The Kent Trained Bands were then sent home.

Sending Troops Overseas

In the 1500s, the local militia also provided soldiers for trips overseas. From 1589, Kent often sent men for these missions. However, the counties usually sent people who were not working, rather than the well-trained members of the Trained Bands. The Queen wanted her best trained soldiers to stay home for defense.

Changes Under King Charles I

After the threat of invasion passed, the Trained Bands became less active. Later, King Charles I tried to make them a stronger national army that would answer directly to him.

By 1638, the Kent regiments were organized by "lathes," which were old divisions of the county. Each lathe had its own group of soldiers:

• Aylesford Lathe: From areas like Rochester, Maidstone, and Tonbridge.
• St Augustine Lathe: From Canterbury, Sandwich, and Dover.
• Scray Lathe: From the Ashford area.
• Shepway Lathe: From Folkestone, Hythe, and New Romney.
• Sutton-at-Hone Lathe: From Dartford and Sevenoaks.
• City of Canterbury: Had its own company.

Together, these groups had many musketeers (soldiers with guns), corslets (armored pikemen), and horsemen.

The Bishops' Wars

The Trained Bands were called into action in 1639 and 1640 for the Bishops' Wars. These were conflicts between King Charles I and Scotland. In 1639, the Lord Lieutenant of Kent was told to choose 1,200 men from the Trained Bands. These men were to join an army going to Scotland by sea.

The Kent group gathered at Gravesend. However, the best men were kept for defending the coast. Many of those who went to Scotland were not trained and had poor equipment. They were often hired or "pressed" (forced) to go. These soldiers sailed to Scotland, but the war ended without a major battle. Many soldiers got sick, and the army soon went home.

In 1640, Kent was asked to send more men. But the people of Kent were not very keen to go to Scotland. So, more men had to be forced into service to meet the numbers needed.

The English Civil War

One of the main disagreements between King Charles I and Parliament was who should control the Trained Bands. This disagreement eventually led to the English Civil War. During the war, the Trained Bands were mostly used to protect their local areas. They also helped Parliament's full-time soldiers, many of whom had once been in the Trained Bands themselves.

As the war continued, Kent organized "Auxiliary Trained Bands." These were extra units that helped share the duties. They also raised "Volunteer" units for service outside Kent. Each of the five lathes had an auxiliary regiment and a horse regiment.

Kent's Role in the War

When the war began in 1642, Kent was mostly controlled by Parliament. In the summer of 1643, there was a local uprising in Kent. People took control of towns like Tonbridge and Sevenoaks. They took weapons from rich Parliamentarians. Soldiers from London were sent to help the Kentish forces. After some fighting, the rebels were defeated.

The Kentish Auxiliaries and Volunteers began to serve alongside Parliament's main army. The Sutton at Hone Volunteers marched with London regiments to help lift the Siege of Gloucester in September 1643. On the way back, they fought in the First Battle of Newbury. The Trained Bands fought bravely there, but their colonel, Sir William Brooke, later died from his wounds.

Kent joined Parliament's "Southern Association" in November 1643. This group was led by Sir William Waller. Kentish regiments were involved in battles like the Siege of Arundel in late 1643 and early 1644.

In 1644, Kentish troops were also part of the Second Battle of Newbury. After Parliament's main army, the New Model Army, won a big victory at the Battle of Naseby in 1645, Kent was asked to send more forces to help.

After the First Civil War

After the first part of the Civil War ended in 1646, Parliament kept the New Model Army. However, local forces like the Trained Bands were still important for dealing with local problems.

In late 1647, there was a riot in Canterbury because Parliament had banned Christmas celebrations. The St Augustine Volunteers helped stop the riot. But in May 1648, more protests led to a bigger revolt, starting the Second English Civil War. Royalist officers took control of several towns in Kent. The Prince of Wales even landed in Sandwich to lead the rebellion. Many local gentlemen and some trained bandsmen joined the Royalists.

Sir Thomas Fairfax led the New Model Army into Kent and defeated the main Royalist force at the Battle of Maidstone on June 1. Many Royalists escaped across the Thames Estuary into Essex. Fairfax sent soldiers to take back Canterbury and other castles, and to help Dover.

After Parliament regained control, new laws changed how the militia worked. The term "Trained Band" started to disappear in most counties. Under the new government, the militia was paid when called out. They worked with the New Model Army to keep order.

In 1650, many Trained Band units, including those from Kent, were called out during a Scottish invasion. The Scottish army was later defeated at the Battle of Worcester.

The Kent Militia Returns

After the King returned to power in 1660, a new law in 1661 brought back the local trained bands. They were again under the Lord Lieutenant of Kent, who was chosen by the King. People preferred this local force over a large, permanent army, which reminded them of the New Model Army that had supported the previous government. From this point on, the local militia was mainly responsible for defending England and keeping peace at home.

The Kent Militia helped defend against threats from the Dutch and French. They even helped fight the Great Fire of London. By 1697, the Kent Militia still had six regiments. However, they became less active after 1712, during a long period of peace.

Later, when there was a new threat of French invasion during the Seven Years' War, new laws from 1757 brought the county militia regiments back to life. Kent raised the West and East Kent Militia, which continued to serve until the end of World War I.

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