THE Andover History and Archaeology Society held their January meeting at The Guildhall, with Alan Turton, historian of the civil war and one-time curator of Basing House, who spoke on ‘The English Civil War in Hampshire.’

Setting the local story within the national picture of the stand-off between King Charles I and Parliament, Alan traced the complex events of the war in Hampshire. He illustrated his talk with many pictures, surviving buildings which still show civil war damage, and contemporary drawings.

The first action in the county was in August 1642 at Portsmouth, Hampshire’s largest town and the Navy’s base. Governor George Goring declared for the King, but after a short siege, William Waller, MP for Andover and commander of the parliamentary force, secured the castle.

An army on the march billeted in towns or villages on their way, plundering provisions from the locals. Andover unfortunately suffered such treatment from both sides. Waller captured Farnham Castle and made it his base. From there he harried royalist cavalry on the road between Wherwell and the royalist stronghold of Winchester, but Waller took the town in December 1642.

Early 1643 found Waller back in Farnham Castle, and his soldiers fought royalist cavalry in Alton. In November 1643 Waller besieged Basing House, the largest private house in England, held by the royalist Marquis of Winchester. Severe wintry weather and shortage of food demoralized his soldiers and Waller had to withdraw. Returning to Farnham, he unexpectedly attacked Alton, forcing the royalist garrison to withdraw into St Lawrence’s church, where they fought but eventually surrendered. The church still bears marks of the fighting.

In 1644, Waller’s army was strengthened and both sides converged on Alresford. Joining battle at Cheriton Down on 28 March, the royalist side collapsed. The royalists were almost crushed out of the county when Waller recaptured Winchester. In September, a royalist relief force for Basing House fought running battles in Basingstoke around St Michael’s church. Waller fell back to Andover, where the King planned a surprise attack. There was street fighting through the town. A sword from this time was retrieved from the River Anton.

In October 1645, Oliver Cromwell assaulted Basing House with his New Model Army, making the Fleur de Lys Pub in Basingstoke his headquarters. The offer of surrender was refused, and the house ruthlessly destroyed. Parliament legislated that locals could take building materials from the ruins, and many of the village’s older buildings incorporate masonry from the House.

In 1646 Oxford fell, the King was taken to Hampton Court but escaped to Titchfield Abbey where he surrendered. Hampshire was spared further fighting during the later stages of the Civil War.

As a measure of its severity, more men proportionately were killed during the English Civil War than in World War 1, many dying of disease.

Alan was thanked warmly for sharing his encyclopaedic knowledge of the War, with vivid asides about the military life and technology of the period.