BattlefieldsSiege of Chichester 1642 — Parliament takes the city
English Civil War

Siege of Chichester 1642 — Parliament takes the city

1642
West Sussex, England
Also known as: Chichester December 1642 · Parliamentary capture of Chichester
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Siege
Location
West Sussex, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Royalists (Chichester garrison)
Forces
Royalist garrison c. 500–800; siege December 1642.
VS
Victor
Parliament (Sir William Waller)
Forces
Parliamentarians (Waller) c. 3,000–4,000
Outcome
Chichester stormed; Royalist garrison expelled; Sussex largely secured for Parliament
The Battle

History & Significance

Chichester declared for the King in autumn 1642 and its cathedral close was fortified. Sir William Waller besieged it in December and stormed it on 27 December. The fall of Chichester secured Sussex for Parliament and established Waller as Parliament's leading field commander in the south. The Bishop of Chichester Henry King (the poet) fled. Cathedral property was damaged. The siege demonstrated Parliament's capacity for rapid offensive action in the south of England.

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