The Siege of Loyalty House: A Story of the English Civil War
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- Create Date：2023-01-13 17:21:35
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Jessie Childs
- ISBN：1639363106
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Summary
An immersive and electrifying account of a defining episode in the English Civil War that illuminates the human experience—and human cost—of this devastating war。
It was a time of puritans and populism， witch hunts and civil war。
Between 1643 and 1645， Basing House in Hampshire， England， was besieged three times。 To the parliamentary Roundheads， the house symbolized everything that was wrong with England: it was the largest private residence in the country， a bastion of royalism and excess。 Its owner， the Marquess of Winchester， reportedly had the motto Love loyalty etched into the windows。 Winchester refused all terms of surrender。 When he discovered his brother plotting to betray the house， he forced him to hang his accomplices。 When the garrison divided along religious lines， Winchester expelled all the Protestants。
As royalist strongholds crumbled around the country， the Winchesters—and Basing House—stood firm。 The famed architect Inigo Jones designed fortifications; gamekeepers became snipers; and the women hurled bricks at the besiegers。 'Loyalty House'， as it was known， became the king's principal garrison。 But the drum of the parliamentary army beat ever louder—and closer—and in October 1645， Oliver Cromwell rolled in the heavy guns。
The Siege of Loyalty House tells the story of these dramatic events， not only recounting the sallies and skirmishes， but the experiences of the men， women， and children caught in the crossfire。 What was it like to be under siege， lying in bed with shells crashing through the window？ What was it like to conduct a siege， sleeping on frosty fields， receiving news of sick children at home from desperate wives？
Ultimately， the story of Basing House is the story of England in the 1640s: a tale of brother against brother， of women on the frontline， of radicalism， iconoclasm， and fanaticism。 It is a tale of destruction and derring-do， courage and cowardice， and a house on fire—the true end of an era。
It was a time of puritans and populism， witch hunts and civil war。
Between 1643 and 1645， Basing House in Hampshire， England， was besieged three times。 To the parliamentary Roundheads， the house symbolized everything that was wrong with England: it was the largest private residence in the country， a bastion of royalism and excess。 Its owner， the Marquess of Winchester， reportedly had the motto Love loyalty etched into the windows。 Winchester refused all terms of surrender。 When he discovered his brother plotting to betray the house， he forced him to hang his accomplices。 When the garrison divided along religious lines， Winchester expelled all the Protestants。
As royalist strongholds crumbled around the country， the Winchesters—and Basing House—stood firm。 The famed architect Inigo Jones designed fortifications; gamekeepers became snipers; and the women hurled bricks at the besiegers。 'Loyalty House'， as it was known， became the king's principal garrison。 But the drum of the parliamentary army beat ever louder—and closer—and in October 1645， Oliver Cromwell rolled in the heavy guns。
The Siege of Loyalty House tells the story of these dramatic events， not only recounting the sallies and skirmishes， but the experiences of the men， women， and children caught in the crossfire。 What was it like to be under siege， lying in bed with shells crashing through the window？ What was it like to conduct a siege， sleeping on frosty fields， receiving news of sick children at home from desperate wives？
Ultimately， the story of Basing House is the story of England in the 1640s: a tale of brother against brother， of women on the frontline， of radicalism， iconoclasm， and fanaticism。 It is a tale of destruction and derring-do， courage and cowardice， and a house on fire—the true end of an era。
Reviews
Graham
，
Great story telling which drew me in。 At first I was daunted by the many names and the unfamiliarity of this period of history。 Gradually the author builds the story and the characters come alive。 By the end I was looking forward to learning more about the civil war and the years that followed。
Dean
，
A truly superb book。 ‘The Siege of Loyalty House’ is well researched and beautifully written。 Childs has a remarkable ability to zoom in and out on events， showing how people can be swept up by the wider political context， but how individuals too are vital in shaping changes。 She captures the fascinating stories of little-known individuals; the apothecaries， print sellers， preachers， merchants， and others whose lives became separated or intimately entwined as much through happenstance as the for A truly superb book。 ‘The Siege of Loyalty House’ is well researched and beautifully written。 Childs has a remarkable ability to zoom in and out on events， showing how people can be swept up by the wider political context， but how individuals too are vital in shaping changes。 She captures the fascinating stories of little-known individuals; the apothecaries， print sellers， preachers， merchants， and others whose lives became separated or intimately entwined as much through happenstance as the forces of history。 。。。more
Scott
，
Jessie Childs tells the story of Basing House during the English Civil War and shines a light on this not-well-known period of British history。 Basing House was a focal point of the War because it sheltered a garrison of royalists—defenders of King Charles I—against the armies fighting for the supremacy of Parliament over the monarchy。 The book is an outstanding success--an engrossing and exciting account incorporating the highest historical standards， thoroughly researched and documented。 Highl Jessie Childs tells the story of Basing House during the English Civil War and shines a light on this not-well-known period of British history。 Basing House was a focal point of the War because it sheltered a garrison of royalists—defenders of King Charles I—against the armies fighting for the supremacy of Parliament over the monarchy。 The book is an outstanding success--an engrossing and exciting account incorporating the highest historical standards， thoroughly researched and documented。 Highly recommended。 。。。more
Ben
，
A fascinating book that uses the microcosm of a long siege of a Royalist stronghold to focus in on the complexities of the English Civil War and the people caught up in its savageries but also acts of honour at times。 It was indeed in so many ways a world turned upside down。
Brian Hanson
，
It's a stretch to call this book - as Simon Schama does in a cover blurb - "almost Tolstoyan" （the "almost" doing a lot of lifting there）， as the sources don't permit any sustained access into the internal lives of the protagonists。 It is interesting， though， in its approach to the much-studied English Civil War。 If the actual siege of the title is presented as little more than a series of set-pieces， Childs' broader agenda - reaching back to a pre-War London neighborhood， where some later sworn It's a stretch to call this book - as Simon Schama does in a cover blurb - "almost Tolstoyan" （the "almost" doing a lot of lifting there）， as the sources don't permit any sustained access into the internal lives of the protagonists。 It is interesting， though， in its approach to the much-studied English Civil War。 If the actual siege of the title is presented as little more than a series of set-pieces， Childs' broader agenda - reaching back to a pre-War London neighborhood， where some later sworn enemies lived together in peace - does show decisively how great matters of State can take their toll at the local and family level。 。。。more
Darryl Tomo
，
A fantastic achievement - brings the history of this neglected period of time alive like no other。 Childs skilfully tells the story of the Civil War through the lens of the siege of Basing House， and the people caught up in the siege。 It's so skilfully and effectively done， and so illuminating， that I forgot I was reading about the 17th century at points as the descriptions of suffering in war etc are so universal。Loved it， one of the best history books I've read for a long time。 A fantastic achievement - brings the history of this neglected period of time alive like no other。 Childs skilfully tells the story of the Civil War through the lens of the siege of Basing House， and the people caught up in the siege。 It's so skilfully and effectively done， and so illuminating， that I forgot I was reading about the 17th century at points as the descriptions of suffering in war etc are so universal。Loved it， one of the best history books I've read for a long time。 。。。more
Stephen Ede-Borrett
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This book has had so many rave reviews already that yet another would seem superfluous。 Let me just say it was a great read and is a superb book whether you are interested in the English Civil War for itself or not。 Try it - you WILL enjoy， I am certain。
Jason Wilson
，
The siege of Basing House in Basingstoke was a microcosm of the English civil war。 The author shows us characters on both sides ， an assortment of soldiers， aristocrats， traders ， actors and all kinds of people。 Through them we see the nuanced views of many - not all those loyal to the office of the king had high regard for Charles or the Stuarts。 Henry Rawdon for instance was an importer of wine from many countries and couldn’t afford to be sectarian。 Though he fought for the king， he felt the The siege of Basing House in Basingstoke was a microcosm of the English civil war。 The author shows us characters on both sides ， an assortment of soldiers， aristocrats， traders ， actors and all kinds of people。 Through them we see the nuanced views of many - not all those loyal to the office of the king had high regard for Charles or the Stuarts。 Henry Rawdon for instance was an importer of wine from many countries and couldn’t afford to be sectarian。 Though he fought for the king， he felt the reign of Archbishop Laud under Charles was just as harsh as Puritan excesses。 In John Venn his former colleague ， opposed to episcopacy and also alienated by the Kings refusal to hold a parliament， we see his opposite number 。 Likewise ， some Roundheads questioned the savagery sometimes displayed。For those supporting Parliament， we do see how the kings ship money tax affected traders badly。 We also see Charles rejecting what are reasonable peace terms in the name of absolute monarchy。 As the house crumbles It’s an engrossing portrait of the horrors of siege warfare even then。 And marshalling the resistance to Cromwell’s forces ， it’s a female aristocrat ， lady Honora Paulet， who shines in the masculine world of war。 Estimates of Cromwell’s brutality go and up down - since Antonia Frasers biography of him， views have been more nuanced in terms of reaction to a royalist regime not marked by tolerance ， and some genuine desire on Cromwell’s part for some tolerance in peacetime， as well as ending of some needless wars （ despite the massacres which even in an age of harsh militaristic solutions can’t be exonerated， though they have been exaggerated ）。 But war is war ， though when the end comes more are taken alive than slaughtered。 In the end， he beat the king because he was simply a better strategist， and his glorying in victory is understandable but jarring nowadays。 This book is well researched and written and good for giving us views on the ground as the king and parliament slugged it out。 I suspect a lot of us would probably side with Rawdon - whatever our views on royalty or any established authority ， it’s a big thing to go to war with it and you have to know your convictions， especially when what you’re being offered is a clash between two less than tolerant regimes 。 Proportionately the civil war would take more English lives than World War One 。 。。。more
Suzanne McDonald
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