Worcestershire in the English Civil War This is a timeline for the English Civil War in Worcestershire Usually , the Battle of Worcester has been taken as synonymous with the Civil War in the County , but it was quite an isolated incident , that did not occur until five years after the First Civil War had ended . First English Civil War . 1642 . King Charles I moved from Nottingham to Shrewsbury . The Earl of Essex , who commanded the Parliament army , was ordered to prevent the King advancing on London , so marched from Northampton to Stratford - on - Avon , Pershore to Worcester , shortly before Essex arrived at Worcester , the first major cavalry skirmish took place in at Powick Bridge . Charles , having completed his preparations , marched by Wolverhampton , Birmingham , towards Banbury , thus getting between Essex and London . Turning round , he defeated Essex at the Battle of Edgehill , and slowly marched on towards London , before turning after the Battle of Brentford retreating first to Reading and then to Oxford . The result of the advance by the Royalists towards London was that the Parliament troops evacuated Worcestershire . 1643 . The King established his head - quarters at Oxford , and was most anxious to win the highlands of the Cotswolds and the line of the river Severn . The Parliamentarians had two armies . Their plan was that the two armies , one of which was engaged before Reading under Essex , the other under William Waller had its head - quarters at Bristol , should unite and take Oxford . Essex took Reading . Waller , operating from Gloucester , cleared the county , and by taking Hereford cut off communication with Wales . To make all safe in the Severn Valley , Charles besieged Gloucester , but Essex was able to raise the siege . 1644 . Again Parliamentary forces tried the same plan as the previous year . Essex and Waller were to join and march on Oxford . They did so , and very nearly caught Charles I , but he escaped , marched by Broadway to Evesham , Pershore to Worcester , and on to Bewdley . Waller followed him , but the two armies did not come to close quarters ; the only fighting was Wilmot ' s attempt to relieve Dudley Castle , which was being besieged by Lord Denbigh . Charles retired towards Oxford , followed by Waller , who was defeated by Wilmot at the Battle of Cropredy Bridge . Charles then returned into Worcestershire , and stayed at Evesham for some days . 1645 . Edward Massey , the Governor of Gloucester , stormed and took Evesham , thus severing the Royalist line of march from Worcester to Oxford . Charles marched to Inkberrow , Droitwich , Bromsgrove , and on to Leicester and then to Naseby , where he was defeated ; then back by Kidderminster , Bewdley to Hereford and South Wales . The Scottish army came to the help of the English , and marched to Alcester on their way to attack Worcester , but turned off to Droitwich , Bewdley , and so to Hereford , which they besieged . Charles marched north , and working round reached Oxford . Having got some troops together , he marched to the relief of Hereford . He stayed several days in Worcester , marched from there to Bromyard and on to Hereford , but on his approach the Scotch raised the siege , marched to Gloucester , crossed the Severn , then marching through Cheltenham , Evesham , to Stratford - on - Avon on their way towards Newark . 1646 . During the winter a Royalist army was collected in Wales , Herefordshire , and Worcestershire , and marched towards Oxford , but were met by the Parliamentary troops near Stow - on - the - Wold and destroyed . Shortly after this Charles left Oxford and gave himself up to the Scots . He issued orders to his captains and officers to deliver up the places they held . Dudley Castle surrendered , as did Hartlebury . Worcester was besieged and held out to July , when it had to surrender . Included in the Articles were Madresfield and Strensham . With their surrender the First Civil War , so far as Worcestershire was concerned , came to an end . Second Civil War . 1647 . During the whole of the year Royalist plots went on to bring about the King ' s release , or for a rising . The chief of these was the Broadway Plot . 1648 . The Royalist plot , ended in the second Civil War , the chief feature in which was the siege of Colchester . An attempt at a rising , organised by Colonel Dud Dudley , was made in Worcestershire , but it was suppressed , Dudley taken prisoner , sent to London , and condemned to die . The morning before his execution he escaped . 1649 . King Charles I was executed . Charles II . went to Scotland and was proclaimed King of Scotland . The Parliament troops were engaged in putting down the Irish . Third Civil War . 1650 . Oliver Cromwell , having finished off the Irish , went to Scotland and defeated Leslie and the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar . 1651 . After a good deal of negotiations and manoeuvres Charles II , at the end of July , invaded England , marching through Carlisle on London . When he got to Stafford it was thought desirable to halt for reinforcements from Wales , and to meet these men Charles marched to Worcester . Cromwell , meanwhile proceeded down the east coast , marched across to Evesham , thus getting between Charles and London , advanced on to Worcester , attacked and routed him at the Battle of Worcester .