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| The Siege of Lyme 1644 | ||
| Lyme was staunchly Parliamentarian when Robert Blake arrived after the surrender of Bristol to help Robert Sealey organise the defences of the town. | ||
| Apr 20 | Prince Maurice gives up his siege of Plymouth
and arrives at Lyme to try to capture it for the Royalists.
Maurice's troops were mostly made up of pressed men and foreign
mercenaries. They were up against local men who were fiercely loyal to
Parliament. |
The capture of Lyme was important to the Royalists as it would ensure a supply line of Royalist-held towns between Bristol and the English Channel. |
| The town has a well-protected and sheltered harbour
and so was easily supplied from the sea. Maurice found it impossible to
aim his guns onto the harbour because of the steep cliffs.
It is well documented that the women of the town played a big part in preparing the defenses - digging ditches, loading muskets, lookout duties etc. Maurice himself was unwell with 'flu and for a while did not himself directly control the attack. There were several unsuccessful attacks on the town and even an attempt to set it on fire. |
Robert Blake |
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| Jun 14 | News came of the Earl of Essex's approach and Prince Maurice gave up the siege, defeated by 'this little vile fishing town defended by a small dry ditch'. He moved his troops out by night towards Exeter. | The failure of the siege
has been regarded as the ruining of Prince Maurice's reputation.
The failed siege had cost the Royalists more than 2000 men. |
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Lyme Regis in 1830 |
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