Worcestershire in the English Civil War the Royalists towards London was that the Parliament troops evacuated Worcestershire. 1643. The King established his headquarters at Oxford, and was most anxious to win the highlands of the Cotswolds and the line of the river Severn. The Parliamentarians had two armies. Their plan was that the two armies, one of which was engaged before Reading under Essex, the other under William Waller had its headquarters at Bristol, should unite and take Oxford. Essex took Reading. Waller, operating from Gloucester, cleared the county, and by taking Hereford cut off communication with Wales. To make all safe in the Severn Valley,
Shropshire in the English Civil War and 200 soldiers, were taken by Mytton, the Parliamentarian Governor of Wem. On 23 February Parliament captured Shrewsbury, and in the same month they also captured Benthall Hall from the Royalists. On 10 June there was a battle at Stokesay, near Ludlow. The Royalists were defeated, and Sir William Croft was slain by the Parliamentarians. Stokesay Castle was captured, and Caus Castle and Shrawardine also fell to Parliament the same month. On 4 and 5 July, Sir William Vaughan won two significant victories, resulting in the relief of the besieged garrison of High Ercall. In August a Parliamentarian pamphlet listed