Document of the Month November 2019

List of expenses incurred before and after the fighting at Edgehill, Worcester and Stow, CR1768/46

Last month saw the anniversary of the Battle of Edgehill, and so November’s Document of the Month is a list of expenses, taken from the Tomes family of Long Marston collection, which was incurred during various battles of the . As well as the Battle of Edgehill, the document refers to the Battle of Worcester and the Battle of Stow.

Some of the expenses incurred include “2 shillings cheese one shilling bread after edgehill fight A barell of beer to the Earle of Essixs at Wiscester”1.

During the Civil War, soldiers often commandeered supplies from the places they passed through. Staff at the Record Office have been voluntarily transcribing English Civil War Loss Accounts as part of a wider project and have come across some interesting examples of people having to give up livestock – “a quarter of mutton” and “a couple of chickens”, vegetable patches – “spoylinge my cabages”, swords, pistols, scabbards – “a sword and a flagon”, cooking implements and personal effects – “ one hatt and a pair of breeches”. Some accounts state that items were taken under duress or without their consent – “A mare of his had been voyalently taken away from his stable”.

List of expenses, County Record Office CR1768/46

1 Warwickshire County Record Office. List of expenses incurred before and after the fighting at Edgehill, Worcester and Stow. Document Reference CR1768/46.

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Document of the Month November 2019

The English Civil War

The English Civil War spanned from 1642 to 1651 and was fought between opposing forces of the monarchy of Charles I and Parliamentarian forces led by . It began with Charles I assembling an army to quash an Irish rebellion, against the wishes of Parliament; and was brought to an end with the execution of Charles I, and the banishment of his son, Charles II2.

The Battle of Edgehill

The Battle of Edgehill occurred on the 23rd October 1642 and took place between and Warwick. Approximately 1000 men were killed and a further 2000 were injured in the course of the battle. It is estimated some 26000 men were involved altogether. Ultimately, the battle was successful in delaying Charles I’s advancement towards London3.

2 Encyclopaedia Britannica. English Civil Wars. https://www.britannica.com/event/English-Civil-Wars : accessed 31 October 2019. 3 Encyclopaedia Britannica. Battle of Edgehill. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Edgehill : accessed 31 October 2019.

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