Also see:
Portsmouth was regarded, by both sides, as an important town to
control in the period leading up to the start of the Civil War.
It was a well fortified town and therefore could serve as the
military headquarters in the south of the country. Portsmouth
was especially important to the King as he was unable to rely
on the loyalty of the main ports. Therefore, he needed a place
in which he could bring in men and supplies from friends abroad.
The Governor of Portsmouth, Colonel George Goring, was in contact
with, and assured his allegiance to, both sides during 1641. Money
for military expenses was provided by both sides. According to
Goodwin (1973), Parliament believed that Goring was trustworthy,
as he had disclosed a Royalist Army plot and a plan for the Queen
to leave Whitehall and seek refuge in Portsmouth. Writers such
as Goodwin and Webb (1977), have seen these actions of Goring
as evidence of his deviousness and unprincipled nature. However,
Russell (1995) with regard to the army plot, states that Goring
may have leaked the plot with royal consent. He goes on to say
that many of the King's plots were intended as deterrents and
therefore it was essential that they should be known to Parliamentary
leaders. Russell notes that Goring never appeared to suffer any
royal disfavour for leaking the plot.
By January 1641[2] some on the Parliamentary side were beginning
to doubt Goring's loyalty. Colonel Norton, of Southwick Park,
warned the House of Commons that Goring could not be trusted.
However, on coming to London Goring managed to convince the House
that he was loyal to their cause. They therefore provided him
with yet more money to complete the town's fortifications.
On 2nd August 1642 Goring openly declared his support for the
King. He announced to the citizens of Portsmouth that those who
did not support the King's case were free to leave. However, as
Webb states, probably many chose to stay because they were worried
that their property may be looted if they left. Thus, staying
within the town was not necessarily a sign of allegiance to the
royalist cause. According to Musselwhite (1977), local opinion
tended to favour Parliament.
Parliament responded promptly to Goring's declaration. On the
8th August Goring was expelled from the House of Commons. The
Earl of Portland, who was a friend of Gorings, was removed from
his office as Governor of the Isle of Wight. On the military front
it was decided that the Earl of Essex should march to Portsmouth
with an army and lay siege to the town. As already stated Parliament
had a lot of local support. Therefore, a sizeable military force
soon built up around Portsmouth. This made it increasingly difficult
for the King's supporters to send in supplies.
The Parliamentarians also ensured that it would be difficult,
if not impossible, to obtain supplies by sea. The Earl of Warwick
was ordered to blockade the harbour. He arrived on 8th August
with five 1 ships. Goring had only
one ship, the Henrietta Maria, under his control. This was captured
by Parliamentary forces on the night of the 9th or 10th of August.
They met little resistance from Goring's men.
Goodwin states that Charles believed that Goring would have laid
in enough supplies to last three to four months. However, this
was not the case. Goodwin notes that on the 2nd August there was
only two days provision in the town. Goring's troops took all
available food produce from Portsea Island. Goodwin describes
how farmers had to lead their cattle into Portsmouth and once
they had arrived they themselves were then detained for military
service. Women and children from Portsea, together with some farm
animals, were taken to Hayling Island to escape the hostilities
by the Earl of Warwick's men.
On the 12th August Parliamentary troops captured Portsbridge 
and
then built two forts to ensure Goring's troops could not recapture
this important passage. This meant that Goring was now hemmed
in inside the walls of Portsmouth.
Some messengers did succeed in passing through Parliamentary lines.
One of Goring's supporters was detained in Havant. He was carrying
a suit of clothes with ten letters sewn into the linings. Although
intelligence was sent in and out of Portsmouth it was, as Webb
argues, very unlikely that Royalists were able to smuggle in supplies.
By mid August morale within Portsmouth was low. At the start of
the hostilities rumours of reinforcements from France and Holland
had boosted morale. Now that Portsmouth was encircled this was
no longer a possibility. The number of soldiers defending the
town was steadily decreasing. Goodwin states that within ten days
of Goring's declaration more than half the soldiers and townsmen
had left Portsmouth. Many had been pressed into service unwillingly
in the first place.
During the early days of the siege a large consignment of wheat
bound from Fareham to the Garrison at Portsmouth was seized by
Gosport watchmen. Goring was angry and threatened to bombard Gosport
in retaliation. He was dissuaded from doing so for the sake of
the women and children of Gosport. According to Musselwhite, Goring's
threat had given Waller an idea. A few days later Gosport men
started to build gun platforms. Goring's troops fired across the
harbour at the Gosport men, but little damage was inflicted.
Musselwhite states that building the gun platforms was designed
to frighten Goring into surrender. On 28th August Sir William
Waller and Sir William Lewis came into Portsmouth to meet Goring
to make a last effort at negotiating a peaceful settlement. However,
Goring was unwilling to accept the terms offered.
On 2nd September Parliamentary soldiers started to fire on Portsmouth
from the Gosport fort. They damaged the mill and the tower of
St Thomas's Church, which was being used as a watch tower. On
the night of 3rd September Parliamentary troops succeeded in capturing
Southsea Castle, which was inadequately defended.
Following these events the morale of Goring's troops further declined. The Mayor and many soldiers left the town. Many who remained no longer wished to continue fighting. According to Goodwin only about sixty men were willing to continue the battle. Goring responded by holding a Council of War. Early on the 4th September a drummer was sent out to seek negotiations with the other side.
Sir William Waller, Sir Thomas Jervoise and Sir William Lewis
came into Portsmouth to discuss the terms of surrender. Goring's
bargaining position was strengthened by his large supply of gunpowder.
If this had been set on fire it would have totally destroyed Portsmouth.
On 7th September the siege was officially ended. Amnesty was granted
to all the Royalists, except those who had earlier deserted the
Parliamentary side. Goring left the following evening for Holland.
He returned a few months later and was once again given a key
position in the Royalist Army. On the 8th September Sir William
Lewis was appointed Governor of Portsmouth.
The loss of Portsmouth was a great blow for the King and his supporters
at such an early stage in the Civil War. This loss was due to
the inadequacy of Goring's leadership. As Musselwhite argues Goring's
declaration of support for the King was badly timed. He failed
to recognise the depth of local support for Parliament. Several
writers have argued that Portsmouth's defences were inadequate.
Musselwhite states that it is probable that Goring squandered
much of the money obtained for defences on drink and gambling.
Bibliography
1. Goodwin, G N. The Civil War in Hampshire (1642-45) and the story of Basing House. 1973. Alresford, Laurence Oxley.
2. Musselwhite, B. Gosport and the Civil War. Gosport Records, No. 14, Dec 1977.
3. Russell, Conrad. The Fall of the British Monarchies 1637-1642. 1995. Oxford, Clarendon Press.
4. Webb, J. The Siege of Portsmouth. Portsmouth Papers, No. 7,
July 1969 (republished 1977)
Notes:
1. The number of ships at Stokes Bay is contested, other sources list five named ships together with two others unnamed.
2. The formal start of the first English Civil War was on Monday August 22nd 1642, when the King raised his standard at Nottingham.
3. Lord Goring, 1608-1657 together with Mountjoy Blount, 1597-1666
Earl of Newport, Master of the Ordnance. (picture 273) after
Van Dyck can be viewed at the National Trust. Knole House,
Sevenoaks, Kent, England.