page_title: John Owen (Royalist)
section_title: Second Civil War
hierarchical_section_title: John Owen (Royalist) / Second Civil War
caption_attribution_description: English: The Edge of Coed Gyfynys
context_page_description: Sir John Owen of Clenennau was a Welsh landowner best known for his service as a Royalist officer during the English Civil War, during which he held a variety of commands in North Wales.
  The Earl of Clarendon, in his history of the war, noted that Owen described himself as "a plain gentleman of Wales, who had been always taught to obey the King"; by contrast Cromwell referred to Owen in passing as "a violent man, now got into trouble enough". Following the Second Civil War he was sentenced to death in 1649 for treason and the murder of a Parliamentarian official, William Lloyd, but was later reprieved. At the Restoration he was made Vice-Admiral of North Wales, dying in 1666.
context_section_description: By 1648 prospects of a peace settlement appeared in danger; Charles made an agreement with the Engager faction of the Parliament of Scotland to invade England and restore him, while elements of the Parliamentarian army were mutinous over arrears of pay. A revolt over pay led by Major-General Rowland Laugharne began in South Wales in March 1648, which became overtly political when the rebels made contact with Charles. Most Royalists chose to abide by the terms of their surrender and avoided involvement: Owen was said to have initially considered joining Laugharne, but was persuaded to attempt to spread the rebellion to Caernarfonshire.
  In early May Owen began recruiting disaffected former Royalist officers; his former superior Byron also arrived in Anglesey from France. Throughout the spring he managed to avoid local Parliamentarian forces under Mytton and George Twisleton, Governor of Denbigh, and by early June had gathered a force of around 300 men. On 3 June he attacked Caernarfon, taking prisoner the current High Sheriff, William Lloyd of Plas Hen, and trapping Mytton in Caernarfon Castle. Lloyd was seriously wounded and later died of "neglect and ill-usage" at the hands of Owen's men.
  After a brief siege Owen received news that Twisleton was marching towards Caernarfon with a relief force. Raising the siege, Owen decided to intercept Twisleton, confronting him at Y Dalar Hir on the shore of the Menai Straits on 5 June. A confused running battle developed, in which Owen initially had the upper hand but failed to break Twisleton's reserves; a Parliamentarian trooper, Captain Edward Taylor, took on Owen in single combat, pulled him from his horse, and took him prisoner, after which the remaining Royalists scattered.
  Owen was taken by Mytton under guard to Denbigh Castle; Owen's officers made several unsuccessful rescue attempts. He was later moved to London and held at Windsor Castle.
caption: The Menai Straits at Y Dalar Hir; Owen's involvement in the 1648 revolt ended in a running battle near this spot
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