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 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