Keep Your Powder Dry

The next, gripping* installment of the Sir William Waller Southern Association adventures... Basing House was strategically important, on the road from the King's capital in Oxford, to the important stronghold of Winchester. Replica saker positioned on one of the rampiers Views across the remaining earthworks Basing House was a Norman Castle, a Tudor palace and the home of the Earl of Winchester. The House came under it's first siege in 1643 by Sir William Waller. Waller had 7000 men but couldn't breach the considerable earthwork defences over the nine days of the siege, the defenders lost just two men.  The Great Barn, which saw fierce fighting, and is one of the few buildings to still stand  The second siege started in Spring 1644, this time Parliament's men decided to starve the defenders out. The siege was relieved in September of the same year when Gage marched from Oxford with a relief column. Gage was able to march ...

The William Waller campaigns continue...a saga of manoeuvre and counter manoeuvre. Background After the Battle of Alton (and the taking of Arundel by Waller), the two armies went into winter quarters. Hopton overwintered in Winchester where he was joined by a contingent of the King's Oxford Army under the command of the Earl of Forth. Forth had superiority but Hopton retained operational command (on account of Forth having bad gout). Waller's Southern Association was bolstered by a cavalry brigade from the Earl of Essex's Army, under the command of Sir William Balfour. In March, Parliamentarian forces began to muster near Petersfield, with a view to march on Hopton. Hopton had news of the movements of the London Brigade and marched to intercept them. the London Brigade got wind of the Royalist advance and withdrew to join Waller. View of the battlefield from the memorial, Cheriton Wood on the left. Waller marched to Alresford in order to cut off Hopton...

KeepYourPowderDry packed it's passport and ventured South in search of Sir William Waller's Southern Association campaign trail. First stop - the Battle of Alton. I must confess to being rather fascinated with this battle since being a small person, we had a copy of the 'AA Book of British Towns' at home, and when there was nothing on the tellybox (which was nearly all the time, it was the early 1980s after all) I often used to leaf through it. One thing lodged in my memory, Alton Church having musket ball marks in it's door. So, as I was in the area, I thought I should go and see this famous door. St Lawrence's Church September 1643, Sir William Waller was ordered to muster forces for the protection of Hampshire, and the western approach to London. By November his command was expanded to take in forces from Kent, Surrey, Sussex, supplemented by some of the London Trained Bands regiments and the remains of his own regiments (who had been seriously du...