Bristol 1645

Aug 22

Fairfax arrives at Keynsham with 10,000 men.

Aug 23

Fairfax surrounds Bristol which is defended by Rupert and 1500 regular soldiers and 800 auxiliaries. Not enough men to man 4 miles of defences.

Over the next few days, Rupert's cavalry make numerous sorties to attack the Parliamentarians preparing for the siege. Colonel Oakey is captured in one such raid. Heavy rain soon prevents these attacks.

Ships in the channel prevent any relief getting through from the sea.

Plague had broken out in the city and this had affected the number of men Rupert could use.

Rupert had brought 2,000 bushels of corn into the city from Wales and melted lead into musket balls.

Sep 3

Fairfax calls on Rupert to surrender the city. Rupert is willing to negotiate, if only to waste time. He hopes for relief from the King.

Sep 10

Fairfax sends his men in at 1 a.m. with scaling ladders. The previous days of bombardment have failed to breach the strong city walls. Many of the scaling ladders are found to be too short.

The fighting rages for six hours but overwhelming numbers ensure that the men of the New Model Army make it inside.

Rupert abandons the outer defences and retreats inside the castle walls. Losing many men to the Parliamentarian cavalry in doing so, and unable to maintain a cohesive fighting force, Rupert realises that he has lost and calls for a treaty.

The well inside the castle had been damaged so there was no proper water supply.

Fairfax accepts terms and allows Rupert and the Royalists to march out of the city in full colours with their swords but leaving behind their firearms and ammunition. They were given safe conduct to Oxford.

It was reported that Rupert was 'clad in scarlet very richly laid in silver lace. Fairfax and Cromwell personally escorted him for the first couple of miles to Oxford.

When the King heard of the fall of Bristol, he was so angry that he dismissed Rupert as commander of the Royalist army.