BattlefieldsFirst Siege of Lichfield Cathedral Close
English Civil War

First Siege of Lichfield Cathedral Close

1643
Staffordshire, England
Also known as: Lichfield Close 1643 · Mining of Lichfield
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Staffordshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Parliamentarians (Lord Brooke)
Forces
Royalist attackers: c.1,200
VS
Victor
Royalists (Prince Rupert)
Forces
Parliamentary garrison: c.200
Outcome
Royalists captured Lichfield Close April 1643; Lord Brooke killed by sniper
The Battle

History & Significance

Parliament held the medieval cathedral close with its water-filled moat. Lord Brooke, leading the Parliamentary forces, was shot through the eye by a Royalist sniper from the cathedral tower on St Chad's Day. Rupert then mined under the Close walls and exploded the first mine used in any English Civil War siege, breaching the defences.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Staffordshire

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 Staffordshire