Worcestershire in the English Civil War Gloucestershire, made the county vulnerable to raiding and requisitions. Nevertheless, the county was strategically vital to the Royalists, as a bridge from their mostly Western territories including Wales and Ireland back to their headquarters in Oxford. Worcestershire also provided the Royalists with industrial capacity to produce armaments and munitions. In June 1644, General William Waller's force of around 10,000 men pursued the King's army into Worcestershire as it retreated from Oxford. Waller was supported by the residents of Evesham, who repaired their bridge which had been broken to slow his passage into Worcestershire; the town was heavily fined and the
Shropshire in the English Civil War until 12 October, when he marched to Bridgnorth, and from there advanced to Edge Hill, in Warwickshire, where the first pitched battle of the First Civil War was fought. In January the king formally appointed Sir Francis Ottley as governor of Shrewsbury. In counteraction to the king, the Parliamentarians, including some Shropshire gentry, formed their Committee of Association for Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire in April 1643. In August Parliament garrisoned Wem. It was threatened by Royalist forces under Lord Capel, who were forced to retreat by a Parliamentary army arriving from Chester. On 28 December 1643 Tong Castle was captured