March 31, 2023|Reports

“The Civil War in Hampshire” – Alan Turton

Alan Turton is a military historian who specialises in the English Civil War and was curator at the civil war site of Basing House for twenty four years. On Tuesday 25th March seventy one members and guests of Wickham History Society gathered at Wickham Community Centre to hear about Hampshire’s role in the Civil War.

Locally, the nearest engagement was at Bishops Waltham, and in 1644 the parliamentarian generals Cromwell and Waller are said to have met in Wickham. Colonel Richard Norton of Southwick was a prominent parliamentarian commander and his family connections with the Uvedale’s in Wickham may have helped protect the manor despite Uvedale’s earlier links with the King.

Hampshire was largely held by parliament during the Civil War and the royal garrison at Portsmouth surrendered very rapidly – their commanders capacity for heavy drinking seems to have impaired their defensive capacity somewhat!

Basing House however held out for the King and two bold resupply columns led by Henry Gage across parliamentary held territory  meant that it was not until 1645 that Cromwell took the house. The Hampshire connection ends with the King seeking refuge in Place House at Titchfield before he was taken to Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight.

As might be expected this was a very well researched and detailed talk, and Alan has published several books on the English Civil War, if you wish to learn more.