"Siege of Newcastle, 1644" Topic

For this engagement we recreated the action outside Newcastle's walls at Shieldfield.

The Covenanters held their nerve and drove the dastardly Royalists from their positions with a steam roller effect. In fact, the Royalists were mostly raw troops and the better trained and motivated Scots exploited their superiority.

Royalist Skonce:

Scots force their way across the stream:

Scots lancers and Lord Leven's Lifeguard

Some spiritual guidance for the staunch Covenanters:

Towards the defences of Newcastle

Scots horse cross the stream
link Dragoons:

nottinghamwargames.co.uk

Great! Have you considered doing the battle of Newburn too?

Not an historical outcome, then?

Will do newburn at some point but scots heavily outnumber their opponents from memory.

They do but the English have some field works and are defending a river crossing. The Scots start on higher ground.

Thanks a ruddy bundle, Ostrowski – looks like another spell under the Tartan heel for the Toon!

(Although I can talk… it was miners from my neighbourhood who took
filthy lucre to undermine the city walls.)

Looks like a lot of fun, though!

Come on Norman tell the story.

It's astonishing the Covenantors didn't think of it sooner.
The mining community of Benwell – now a suburb of Newcastle itself, but at the time a village some two miles from the city walls.

Newcastle operated a coal monopoly – as it did with several other trades – due to royal patronage. That was great for the city, but it meant the actual mining communities had to swallow whatever prices Newcastle set.
The local communities were resentful about it, in much the same way as the neighbouring towns and cities, like Durham and Sunderland.
The main reason they were ready to declare for parliament was to break the financial power of the King's local 'favourite'.

But you have to remember that the Scots KNEW this – they had occupied Newcastle and happily took over its trading monopolies after the Battle of Newburn. They were familiar with the region and its divided loyalties.
Yet it took them three years of siege before they approached the miners, all of two miles away, and offered them payment to undermine the walls.
Which took about thirty seconds to agree to and a week or so to accomplish.

" three years of siege" …?

I don't know what books you're reading Norman D.

After the Battle of Newburn (1640) the Scots occupied Newcastle for about a year, then withdrew.

In the summer of 1642 Newcastle declared for the King.

In January 1643/44 a Scots army invaded England via Berwick.
Between then and July there was a very loose investment of the town, by the Scots.

After the Battle of Marston Moor (2nd July 1644) the Scots closed up their lines around Newcastle, which was eventually stormed by them on 19 October, after several mines were detonated under the walls.

Did I say three years of continuous siege? Close investment?

Siege lasted 1644-47. If you want to slice that someway that comes to less than three years: much joy may it bring you.

Be sure and let us know what Newcastle council say when you ask them to change the details on the plaques on the city wall, though, yeah? I'm sure they'll be thrilled. :)

Norman, do you remember the name of the pub in the Bigg Market that contained King Charles's chair?

Not off the top of me head – it's someway down the street with the 'Beehive' at the end of it.

Since I'm actually playing 'Combat Patrol' in St James' church hall as we speak, I'll take a look on me way home.

Yeah that's the one set back in a courtyard. Enjoy the game and good luck.

The pub with the chair ('though I don't think its there anymore) is The Old George, left just down the Bigg Market from the Beehive.

If Newcastle Council claims the siege lasted three years, they must be taking the P. Although the subsequent OCCUPATION OF THE CITY by the Scots lasted about that length of time. The Scots brought King Charles to Newcastle after he had surrendered to them.

You're not wrong – "The Old George" it is.
I stopped in on the way home, and had a Wylam Angel, since I was there.
Shame not to.

Keep plugging with the 'not three years' thing there, Colonel.
Couple more of these and I might be converted.

"The Old George" Thank you both. I drank there in my teens in the 70s.

Okay, that's turned into a session.
New rule – no sending Norman to the pub on flimsy pretexts.
You know I'm easily led.
Brew Dog IPA currently. Off to the Wellington after this. In the early 1800's it's landlord was so fat people came from all over the country to see him. When he shuffled off the mortal, they had to knock down the pub frontage and get him out with a block and tackle.

Enjoy it!

…And I thought wargamers were sticklers for accuracy. … Oh, well.

Fair point, we do generally aim a bit higher than the superficial blue-plaque bumf I'm blithely trotting out.
If its any consolation, I am in the doghouse for forgetting to get the paper on the way home.

I love the figures and tabletop, great stuff! I'm just torn between my natural Royalist sympathies and my ingrained Scottish partisanship. Guess I'll be patient and hang on for Montrose.

Great thing about living in the uk is that we're never more than a few miles from a civil war battlefield/occurance! (Myself, I'm 2 miles from the spot where the king raised his standard). Thanks for the feedback everybody: