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
English Civil War Society authentic pikes and muskets. The English Civil War Society consists of many smaller subdivisions, each run semi-autonomously, and which are known to their members as "regiments". Each of these regiments falls under one or other of the two armies of the English Civil War Society, the Roundhead Association and the King's Army. The Roundhead Association army represents the army of Parliament – the "roundheads" – whilst the Kings Army represents that of the King – the "cavaliers" or "royalists". The King's Army currently has eight regiments under its control and the Roundhead Association has thirteen. There are regiments of "foote",