English Civil War

[dbboeder]

Can someone tell me what was the first incident of the English Civil War? I have been told that an incident around the time occurred at Kilsby near Rugby in January 1642 where shots were fired at an upper window Was this connected or was it simply a local matter?

[dot.hawkes]

23 Oct 1642
Battle of Edgehill
In the early afternoon, Charles sent his army down the hill to meet the Parliamentary army commanded by Essex. On the royalist right was Prince Rupert who broke Essex's left flank. In the centre, reinforcements arrived and they managed to push forward putting the lives of the King's sons, Charles and James, in danger. The battle was a stalemate with neither side able to advance.

October 1642 was before January 1642 as new year started on march 25th and ran to the following march 24th if you use the ecclesiastical calendar.

[4GS]

To quote/plagiarise Simon Schama "A History of Britain 2, 1603-1776 (The British Wars) page 71:

"The British wars (civil war) began on the morning of 23 July 1637, and the first missiles launched were footstools. they flew down the nave of St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, and their targets were the dean and the Bishop of Edinburgh. The revered gentlemen had just begun to read from a new royally authorised Prayer Book. Even before the hurling of the stools , the attempt to read the liturgy had triggered a deafening outburst of shouting and wailing. "

[DWGwilliam]

I have always taken the Battle of Powick Bridge in September 1642 as being the first battle of the civil war. Edgehill was a month later but far more important.