Cannon Played from the Great Fort: Sieges in the Severn Valley During the English Civil War 1642-1646

This book examines through historical and archaeological research the sieges of Bristol, Gloucester, Worcester, Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury during the First Civil War (1642-1646). The battlefields of Edgehill, Newbury and Marston Moor are superlatives with the middle of the 17th-century conflict known as the English Civil War, and whilst their importance to the conflict is undeniable, they detract from the power struggle that occurred between the Royalists and Parliamentarians in the towns and cities throughout the land. This power struggle culminated in the construction of siege batteries and fortifications. Focusing on the Severn Valley region of England, this book examines, through archaeological, topographic, cartographic and historical research, the sieges of Bristol, Gloucester, Worcester, Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury, demonstrating how siege techniques and this style of warfare impacted on the outcome of the conflict that set brother against brother and father against son. AUTHOR: Richard Israel has completed a BA(Hons) in Archaeology, a Masters in Landscape Archaeology, and an MPhil in Archaeology from the University of Bristol. Specialising in landscape archaeology and fortifications, he is a Practitioner member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, and has conducted archaeological excavations at English Civil War sites of Brandon Hill and the Royal Fort in Bristol.
7 b/w maps, 3 colour maps, 5 b/w illustrations, 6 colour photographs, 6 tables