ABSTRACT
York had surrendered to the allied armies on 16 July 1644 after the battle of Marston Moor had broken Newcastle’s northern royalist army. Rupert had marched away immediately into Lancashire after the battle, sending Sir John Mayney to recruit in Furness, and Goring and Langdale to Carlisle. From 9 to 20 July, the Prince perambulated around Lancashire, but on the 21st he was at Preston, on the 22nd he garrisoned Lathom House again, and on the 25th entered Chester. Mayney, in the Furness area, recruited and raised money which he sent to Carlisle, and then on 10 September the brigade returned towards Yorkshire, practically unopposed, and on the 15th drove off siege forces before Pontefract, eventually marching on south. Elsewhere in Lancashire, some of Rupert’s cavalry were threatening disruption, and on 10 August Meldrum began to move out from Manchester to deal with them. On 15 August the royalist cavalry won a smart action at Ribble Bridge, near Preston, but on the following day Meldrum routed part of their force at Walton Cop, also near Preston. Detaching troops to besiege Greenhalgh Castle, Meldrum collided with the main royalist force at Ormskirk on 20 August, scattering it in confusion. The bulk, however, crossed into Cheshire, where on 25 August they were beaten by Sir William Brereton at the battle of Malpas and, much reduced in numbers, finally struggled through to join Rupert further south. Meldrum, aided by forces from Cheshire, now besieged Liverpool which fell on 1 November. Henceforth in the North-West only Lathom House and the city of Carlisle, commanded by Sir Thomas Glemham, held out solidly for the King. Carlisle was not to surrender until 25 June 1645, Lathom not until the following December.
