King Charles I and Hull
An earlier post of mine briefly outlined aspects of the fortification of Hull and Charles I exclusion from the town. This posting is a more detailed account.
The rein of Charles I (1600-1649) developed into a turbulent one. A combination of his underlying Catholicism when 100 years earlier Henry VIII had split from this church and formed the Church of England lead to many peoples distrusting him, especially among the none conformists.
His belief in the 'Royal prerogative' where the King was appointed by God and could rule without reference to his people was a source of great discontent among many of the people. Taxing them without recourse to Parliament was not his best move! All this essentially set him against Parliament and Parliament against him.
Three images of Charles I by van Dyke. Wiki Commons
Hull had a considerable armoury started by Henry VIII and expanded through various wars and worries of wars. Some 100 years later in the reign of Charles 1st when the country was starting to rock with the division between the King and Parliament, the King was more than interested in gaining access to Hulls armoury to supplement the armouries at Staffordshire and Derbyshire which he held.
Charles I had first visited the town in 1639 staying with the then Mayor, John Lister (a school bears his name), at what we know now as Wilberforce House in High Street. This house passed from the Lister's to the Wilberforce's in the 1700 and it was here that William Wilberforce was born in 1759. This visit, during which John Lister was knighted , was a little more peaceful than his second visit.
Wilberforce House, High Street, Hull. From The Graphic, 11th March 1882. Personal copy.
Early in the morning on the 23rd April 1642 Charles rode with his retinue of about 300 from York to Hull. When about 4 miles from the town he sent his officer Sir Lewis Davis, on a head to inform Sir John Hotham, Hull's Governor, that he would dine with him! Although many in Hull at the time were Royalists Hotham quickly met with Hull's MP and others, it is said in the White Harte off Whitefriargate, and determined not to let the King in. This was no easy decision and put Hotham 'in the firing line' if things went wrong. He couched his words to the King saying that it had been decided not to admit the King especially with such a large retinue.
Sir John Hotham. From The Graphic 11th March 1882. Personal copy.
The 'plotting chamber' at the Olde White Harte, Whitefriargate, Hull.
From The Graphic, 11th March 1882. Personal copy.
The King was furious and rode on to Hull but Hotham raised the towns drawbridge of the Beverley Gate and closed its doors so baring entry to the King. Clearly Hotham was very nervous of the position he found himself in trying to explain to the King that he had no choice as Parliament had told him to keep the town safe and allowing the King with such a large retinue in would betray their trust. The exchange continued. The King threatened Hotham with declaring him a traitor. Hotham fell on his knees and gibbered but the King said he would return in an hour with the expectation that he would be let into the town. This, however, was not to be the case. Hotham was declared a traitor and the King went to Beverley for the night. Next morning he sent a herald to Hull demanding admittance but receiving the same answer the King rode off to York no doubt very angry. This was probably made worse by the fact that when he was being bared from Hull the Duke of York was dining at Trinity House in the town!
Charles I Demanding Entrance at the Beverley Gate, Hull, April 23 1642 by George Arnald 1819. With permission of Ferens Art Gallery: Hull Museums.
Of course this was not the end of the affair. Charles demanded that Parliament support him but they sided with Hotham. Charles then put Hull under an unsuccessful siege. In anticipation of this Hull destroyed the Charter House (where Andrew Marvel was brought up) just north of the town for fear it might be used as a gun emplacement. Later it was discovered that Hotham had planned to cede Hull to the Queen and thus to the King but the plot was discovered and Hotham and his son executed on Jan 1st and 2nd 1645 in London.
Charles I was tried at Westminster Hall, London on Jan 20th, 1649 by the High Court of Justice, for subverting the fundamental laws and liberties of the nation and making war on Parliament and the people. Found guilty he was beheaded in Whitehall, London on Jan 30th 1649.
The trial of Charles I at Westminster Hall, London. The King is sat hatted in the centre of the 'dock'.
Wiki Commons
And so for little over 9 years (1642-1651) brother was set against brother and father against son during the English Civil War(s) which were initiated at Hull's Beverley Gate and the 'plotting chamber' of the Olde White Harte pub off Whitefriargate. So when you look into the 'hole' at the west end of Whitefriargate or have a drink in the 'White Harte' think on these long ago matters!
The excavated and recently revamped remains of the Beverley Gate at which King Charles I was refused entry into Hull in 1642. Photo by Chris Coulson
Post Scrips.
Hull had several gates some were small, the postern gates (eg Posterngate), and were only a few feet across, but several main ones, North Gate, Beverley Gate, Myton Gate, Hessle Gate and the Mamole or The Water Gate. were larger.
There was no wall on the east side of the town as the River Hull ran here and in any case the ground would have been difficult to build on.