First English Civil War, 1644 First English Civil War, 1644 1644 was the third year of the First English Civil War. The King's position continued to decline and the Long Parliament sent the Propositions of Uxbridge, an attempt to end the war, to the king at Oxford Hopton had to retire from the area around Arundel, and on 6 January 1644, Waller recaptured the town. Byron's Cheshire army was in no better case. Newcastle's retreat from Hull and the loss of Gainsborough had completely changed the situation in the Midlands. Brereton was joined by the younger Fairfax from Lincolnshire, and the Royalists were severely defeated
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