BattlefieldsSiege of Hopton Castle
English Civil War

Siege of Hopton Castle

1644
Shropshire, England
Also known as: Hopton Castle massacre 1644
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Shropshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Parliamentarians
Forces
Royalist attackers: c.500
VS
Victor
Royalists
Forces
Parliamentary garrison: 31
Outcome
Parliamentary garrison surrendered; garrison of 31 men massacred by Royalists
The Battle

History & Significance

One of the most notorious incidents of the war. A tiny Parliamentary garrison of 31 held Hopton Castle for three weeks against a much larger Royalist force. When they finally surrendered, the Royalists massacred all but the commander. The 'Hopton Quarter' became a Parliamentary rallying cry justifying reprisals.

Casualties & Losses

31 Parliamentary prisoners massacred

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Shropshire

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near Shropshire