page_title: Fortifications of Kingston upon Hull
section_title: English Civil War
hierarchical_section_title: Fortifications of Kingston upon Hull / The Sieges of Hull / English Civil War
caption_attribution_description: English: Plaque on the site of the former Beverley Gate, by the excavated remnants of fortifications, Hull.
context_page_description: The fortifications of Kingston upon Hull consisted of three major constructions: the brick built Hull town walls, first established in the early 14th century, with four main gates, several posterngates, and up to thirty towers at its maximum extent; Hull Castle, on the east bank of the River Hull, protecting Hull's river harbour, constructed in the mid 16th century and consisting of two blockhouses and a castle connected by a curtain wall; and the later 17th century Citadel, an irregular triangular, bastioned, primitive star fort replacing the castle on the east river bank.
  The town walls were demolished and replaced with the town docks over approximately 50 years from the 1770s, the Citadel was demolished and the site turned over to shipbuilding and dock activities in the 1860s.
context_section_description: In 1638 at the beginning of the period known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, during the buildup before the 1639 war with Scotland (First Bishops' War) agents acting on behalf of the King (Charles I) visited the town to inspect its defence; all but the three main gates were to be closed and in 1639 it was reported that the town could be defended by 1,000 men. Charles I was welcomed into Hull to inspect the fortifications and arsenal in 1639. In April 1642 the King returned to Hull to secure the arsenal at Hull, but was refused admittance at Beverley Gate by John Hotham.
  In July Charles I established his court in Beverley and the siege of Hull began. Dikes were cut around Hull preventing besieging forces becoming established outside the walls, and the Charterhouse was demolished to prevent it being used for the defence of any besieging forces, both Hessle and Myton Gates were closed and blocked, and additional artillery batteries set up outside Beverley, Myton and North gates. Skirmishes and artillery exchanges took place outside the walls, additionally there were unsuccessful plots to blow up the gates to admit Royalist forces. A successful skirmish by the Parliamentarians on the Royalist headquarters in Anlaby resulted in the raising of the siege.
  On 2 September 1643, a second siege of Hull began, with Thomas Fairfax ensconced as commander of the garrison, and the royalist Earl of Newcastle besieging. At this time the ruins of the Charterhouse outside the north walls on the west bank were turned into an artillery fort. After unsuccessful attacks on the royalist position at Anlaby the land around Hull was flooded again, preventing besieging attack. The north Blockhouse of the Castle was accidentally blown up by its own gunpowder store on 16 September. Fighting continued outside the walls in September, with royalists temporarily taking control of the defences at Hessle Gate and Charterhouse, before being forced to withdraw. On 11 October 1643 1,500 men fought a seven-hour battle outside the walls, captured the royalist positions and relieved the siege.
caption: Plaque by the foundations of the Beverley Gate
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