Siege of Exeter (1642) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Siege of Exeter (1642)
Part of First English Civil War
Exeter Quay; its position on the River Exe made Exeter an important transport hub
Date Late December 1642 – Early January 1643 Location Exeter, Devon Result Parliamentary victory
Belligerents
Royalists	Parliamentarians
Commanders and leaders
Sir Ralph Hopton Sir Bevil Grenville	Earl of Stamford Colonel Ruthven
Strength
3,000
Casualties and losses
Minimal	Minimal

The Siege of Exeter (1642) was an important event during the First English Civil War. It happened from late December 1642 to early January 1643. During this time, the Royalists, led by Sir Ralph Hopton, tried to take control of the city of Exeter from the Parliamentarians. A "siege" is when an army surrounds a city or fort to cut off supplies and force those inside to surrender.

The English Civil War was a big fight between two main groups:

• The Royalists (also called Cavaliers) supported King Charles I.
• The Parliamentarians (also called Roundheads) supported the Parliament.

Why Exeter Was Important

Sir Ralph Hopton, a Royalist leader in the west of England.

When the war started in August 1642, the Parliamentarians quickly took control of most of southern England. This included important ports like Southampton and Dover. They also had most of the Royal Navy, which was the King's fleet of ships. By controlling these ports, the Parliamentarians made it hard for the Royalists to bring in weapons and soldiers from other countries in Europe.

By the end of September, most of Devon was controlled by Parliament. Meanwhile, the Royalists, led by Sir Ralph Hopton, held Cornwall. At the start of the war, most soldiers on both sides were not very well trained. However, the city of Plymouth had a strong defense. Its soldiers were led by Colonel William Ruthven, who had experienced Scottish fighters. These Scottish soldiers were hired by the Parliamentarians to protect Plymouth.

In early November, Sir Ralph Hopton moved his army towards Exeter. Royalist supporters told him that Exeter was not well defended. However, the city itself was controlled by Parliament supporters. Taking Exeter was very important because it was a key port on the southern coast. It was also a major place for exporting wool from Devon. Exeter's location on the River Exe also meant it could be used to move supplies by water. It could even be a base for Royalist privateers, which were private ships allowed to attack enemy ships.

When Hopton first arrived at Exeter on November 18, it was already guarded by a small group of Parliamentarian cavalry. After a short fight with cannons, the Royalists pulled back. They then tried to attack Plymouth again.

The Siege Begins

At the end of December, Hopton came back to Exeter and started the siege. His Royalist forces also attacked and captured the nearby villages of Topsham and Powderham. These villages were on the River Exe, and taking them meant Exeter could not get supplies by sea. After this, Hopton asked the Parliamentarians in Exeter to give up.

However, Colonel Ruthven, who was in charge of the Parliamentarian forces, had expected the siege. He had already sent more soldiers and supplies to Exeter. Because of this, the Parliamentarians refused to surrender.

Surprisingly, it was the Royalists who could not keep up the siege. After less than two weeks, Hopton's troops started running out of food and other supplies. They even threatened to mutiny, meaning they might refuse to obey orders. So, Hopton ended the siege in early January and went back to Cornwall. Colonel Ruthven tried to chase him to capture the Royalist cannons. But Hopton's soldiers fought well at Bridestowe, stopping Ruthven's pursuit.

What Happened Next

After the Siege of Exeter, the Royalists won several important battles.

• They won at Braddock Down in January.
• Then, they won at Stratton in April.

These victories greatly weakened the Parliamentarian army in Cornwall and Devon.

Later, on July 13, the Royalists had another big victory at Roundway Down. This was one of their most complete wins of the war. On July 26, Prince Rupert, a Royalist leader, attacked and captured Bristol. Bristol was the second-largest city in Britain at the time.

These victories gave the Royalists control of the West Country. However, some ports like Exeter remained under Parliamentarian control for a while. Exeter was finally captured by the Royalists in September 1643. They held it until April 1646, when the Parliamentarians took it back.