Siege of Hull (1642)

The first siege of Hull marked a major escalation in the conflict between King Charles I and Parliament during the build-up to the First English Civil War. Charles sought to secure the large arsenal held in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. He first approached the town in late April 1642 and was rebuffed by the town's Parliamentarian governor, Sir John Hotham. Charles retreated to York but in July he received news that Hotham might be willing to hand over the town if the Royalists approached with force large enough for Hotham to surrender with his honour intact. Charles marched towards the town with an army of 4,000 men. In the meantime, Hull had been reinforced by sea and Parliament had sent Sir John Meldrum to command the town's garrison, as they were concerned about Hotham's loyalty. Hotham once again rejected the King's demands to enter the town and a largely ineffective siege was established by the Royalists, commanded by the Earl of Lindsey as the King had returned to York. Meldrum led several sallies from the town and after a particularly effective one on 27 July, which destroyed a Royalist magazine to the west of the town, Lindsey lifted the siege and withdrew the King's forces to York.