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Today it is difficult to appreciate that some 350 years ago parts of the tranquil Cornish countryside were the scene of bloody battles echoing to the sound of muskets and the cries of the wounded. Following Edward III's Charter of Creation in 1337 Cornwall was intimately bound to the Crown in the person of the eldest son of the reigning monarch who became the Duke of Cornwall from the moment of his birth. This is one of the reasons why so much of the argument between King Charles I and his Parliament was influenced by the activities and battles fought in Cornwall.

The availability of valuable Cornish tin was also to be a factor in the dispute. Vital for the manufacture of high quality cannon it was also used as a commodity to trade with other countries.

Certain authority was still vested in the Throne and the monarch worked alongside Parliament in governing the country. This arrangement could easily have led to disputes but Queen Elizabeth and King James had maintained fairly tight control on Parliament during their reigns. However, during that time the elected government was beginning to show signs of unrest, attacking corruption and seeking reforms.

Although the clergy in Cornwall were in sympathy with Royalty there had been unrest in Elizabeth's reign. The growth of the Cornish Puritan party with a requirement for a sober way of life imposed by authority had led to a petition to Parliament in 1586. In 1633 many clergy in Cornwall refused to read the Declaration of the Book of Sports in their churches on Sundays. This was an early attempt to impose mass physical recreation on Sundays and was intended to build national character. This was seen as objectionable to the Puritans who wanted the Sabbath kept sacred.

A leading Cornish radical in Parliament was Sir John Eliot who was born at St Germans in 1592. A short spell in prison had engendered a bitter opposition to the King's method of rule.

The Parliament of 1628 included many who, like Eliot, had suffered at the hands of the King. The Commons proclaimed the Petition of Rights, declaring illegal all taxation imposed and gathered without the consent of Parliament. Charles had to accept this reduction in his fund raising. Eliot then turned his considerable oratorical skill on the King's favourite, the Duke of Buckingham who had been responsible for many of the royal excesses. Buckingham was assassinated shortly afterwards. Parliament then turned its attention to the church and its Roman Catholic Queen. It proposed sweeping reforms, condemning any Popery in religious matters. Charles retaliated by imprisoning nine of those opposed to his policies including Sir John Eliot in the Tower of London. Eliot died there in 1632. When his son asked the King to allow him to return his body to St Germans for burial Charles replied that he should be buried in the parish where he had died. This became one of the many grudges to be held against the King.

For eleven years from 1629 Charles rules directly with his advisors and without a Parliament. This appeared to be a period of calm during which many Cornish churches were refurbished and enriched. However, there was a growing undercurrent of anger. The King raised money by reviving unused taxes or fabricating new ones. These included the notorious ship-money tax to defend the realm against pirates. The tax was devised in 1634 by Sir William Noy, a Cornishman from near St Columb and intended to protect ports from raids by pirates from Algeria and elsewhere. Very little of the money was used to improve the fleet and in 1636 fifteen fishing boats were captured from Looe and the Helford.

In 1637 Charles tried to impose the Anglican Liturgy, and the English language, upon the Scottish church to replace Presbyterianism. The Scots rose against this foolish act and entered into the Solemn League and Covenant to defend Scotland's way of life and worship.

In 1640 a Parliament was called and sided with the Scots by refusing to provide supplies for the King. Soon that Parliament was dissolved and later in the year the 'long' Parliament was convened on a wave of opposition to the King's policies. It's Cornish members hoped for a compromise with the Royalists but this was not to be. A series of Acts reduced the monarchy to financial dependence on Parliament. Two of the King's closest advisors were executed on the block and the system of Church government by the bishops was abolished in an attack led by Francis Dous of St Dominic. A list of grudges against the King, known as the Grand Remonstration, declared no confidence in Charles. A Militia Bill deprived the King of his command of the armed forces.

This was all too much for Charles. Royalist support had gathered around the King and Charles went to the Commons in January 1642 with a troop to arrest Pym and four other members of Parliament. But word of this move had gone ahead of the King and the five fled. When they returned it was with trained military men. It was now the King's turn to flee. He set up Court in York and in August 1642 raised his standard at Nottingham. The Civil War had begun.

In Cornwall there was general dislike of the King's policies which had led to the running down of the coastal defences at a time when there were pirates active in the Channel. The impressment of miners and peasants for the Scots war, unpopular taxes and falling trade contributed to the general depression. Nevertheless, there was a strong allegiance to the position of the King and the Church of which he was the head. This led to very divided opinions and a lot of confusion.

At the start of the war most of Cornwall, led by the great families, was Royalist. The Grenvilles of Stowe, near Morwenstowe led the Royalists. Two grandsons of the famous Richard Grenville who had fought the Spaniards in the 'Revenge' in 1591, played a leading role for the King. Bevil Grenville, who was adored by his contemporaries and staff, led the Royalist camp. Those who followed included the Governor of the important Pendennis Castle; Sir Nicholas Slanning; John Trevanion of Caerhayes; John Arundell of Trerice; John Trelawny of Trelawne; Jonathan Rashleigh of Menabilly; Sir Richard Vyvyan of Trelowarren; Francis Basset of Tehidy; the Kendalls of Pelyn; the Lowers of St Winnow and many others.

The Parliamentarians were represented by the Rouses of Halton, the Bullers of Morval; William Coryton of St Mellion; Sir Alexander Carew of Anthony; Nicholas Boscawen of Truro and Lord Robartes of Lanhydrock.

Many still couldn't make up their minds and some families were split, favouring both sides. Neighbouring counties of Devon, Somerset and Dorset moved to the Parliamentarian side with Plymouth.

Sir Richard Vyvyan was commissioned to mint silver and gold coins for the King's cause from plate donated by supporters. For this purpose a Mint was set up in Truro. The towns of Cornwall were soon held by opposing sides. Bodmin, Truro, Pendennis Castle overlooking Falmouth harbour and St Michael's Mount were held for the King whilst the two important border towns of Launceston and Plymouth, just in Devon, declared for the Parliamentarians. Saltash, an ancient town on the Cornish side of the Tamar from Plymouth was to change hands eight times in three years.

In January 1643 the Parliamentarians considered that the war could be won if the Royalist grip on Cornwall was broken. Parliamentarian forces from Plymouth took up position near the little church at Braddock about seven miles from Liskeard. Royalist Cavalier units camped nearby and next morning marched out to find the Parliamentarian forces in strength about noon. The much smaller Royalist army had two light cannon which they concealed in the gorse. At two o'clock Grenville attacked the larger army, charging down the slope and firing off the cannon he routed the Parliamentarian who fled, dropping their muskets. Grenville's forces killed some 200 of their opponents and took many prisoners. The remainder headed back towards Saltash where they were attacked again with many being killed in their rush to get down to the river Tamar and across to Plymouth.

The Royalists were elated by their success over apparently superior odds. Fighting now moved to Devon and the King ordered his Cornish troops to march into Somerset and join him there. On the way they ran into a small Parliamentarian ambush in the dark. The hidden solders surprised the Royalist and made so much noise that the Cornish men were completely disorientated. A violent thunderstorm then broke which shook the superstitious Cornish so much that they dropped their arms and fled to Bridestowe.

Parliamentary troops under the Earl of Stamford marched through Launceston into Cornwall with 1,400 horse and dragoons, 5,400 foot and 13 guns. They took up position on high ground near Stratton. Units of Royalist troops established their positions around the hill and a bloody battle continued all day. The Royalists were almost out of powder and so decided to advance without firing a shot. The sight of so much cold steel coming towards them made the Parliamentarian flee, leaving behind 300 killed, 1,700 prisoners, the 13 cannon and baggage containing ś5,000 and all their orders.

News of the Parliamentarian plight reached London and a force of 2,000 horse and dragoon were dispatched to assist them. But by 27th August they had got no further than Farnham. Meanwhile the Parliamentarians lived in hope and refused two offers of surrender. They securely held the town of Lostwithiel and had holed up in the roofless Restormel castle to the north.

On 1st August the Royalists secured Respryn Bridge and so controlled both sides of Fowey. On the following day they took Lanhydrock and tightened their grip on the Parliamentarians. Continued attacks strengthened the Royalist position around Lostwithiel and the Parliamentarian reinforcements were beaten at Bridgewater. Fowey was re-taken by the Royalists and on the 21st August they took Restormel Castle. The Parliamentarians were still firmly established in Lostwithiel but lacked the fresh food which was available to the Royalists.

The line up of troops was formidable. The Parliamentarian still had 10,000 and the Royalists 17,000. One evening two deserters brought news that the Parliamentarian cavalry were to break out that night and head for the coast. The Royalists reacted quickly, putting all troops on full alert and pulling down bridges over the Tamar. Despite all these precautions the Parliamentarian cavalry managed to escape, ferried men and horses across the Tamar and reached Plymouth with the loss of only about 100 men.

The Royalists were very dispirited and blamed each other. Had the Parliamentarian infantry left with the horse units it was likely they would also have escaped. They moved out of Lostwithiel towards Fowey. With the Royalists hard on their heels they made a stand at Golant. A bloody battle ensued in which the advantages swung one way and the other. In the end the remainder of the Parliamentarian were forced to surrender. They subsequently suffered badly at the hands of the locals and the Royalists. It has been reckoned that of the 6,000 troops who surrendered only 1,000 were able to find their way home, the remainder dying of their untreated wounds, hunger and disease.

In 1645 the Parliamentarian forces were regrouped by Oliver Cromwell as the New Model Army, a trained, disciplined force of men, the like of which had never been seen in Britain before. This army, known as Roundheads because of the style of their helmets won battle after battle. The New Model Army arrived in Cornwall on the 24th February 1645 and was involved in several skirmishes with the disillusioned Royalists. On the 19th March the Royalists asked for terms and named Tresillian bridge, east of Truro as a meeting place. Terms were agreed and the surrender of the Royalist forces to the Parliamentarians took place in Cornwall on the 15th March 1645, an event which is commemorated on a plaque nearby. Next day St Mawes castle surrendered. St Michael's Mount surrendered on the 13th April but Pendennis castle held out until the 17th August when sickness and the lack of food forced the Royalists to give up. Over 900 officers and men marched out of the small castle with colours flying and beating drums. The musketeers had bullets in their mouths with matches burning at both ends.

So ended the Civil War. Cornwall, in particular Pendennis castle, had been the last place to hold out for the Royalists against the Parliamentarians.

Conditions deteriorated after the war and plague spread from Pendennis to west Cornwall. St Ives was isolated but some 500 people died.

By this time King Charles was being held by the Scots but, being king of Scotland he formed another army. This was far from being the end of the story. After the war there was the reckoning. Heavy fines were levied on the surviving Royalists and their estates leaving many in Cornwall impoverished. There was the Cornish insurrection and the Second Civil War of 1648. The execution of Charles in 1649 which left England as a Commonwealth. The return of his son, Charles II in 1660 and the Resurrection of the monarchy. There are still many signs of the war still to be seen in Cornwall including the plaques awarded to the Cornish churches by Charles II for supporting his father. The execution of Cornish Parliamentarian leaders, including John Carew, who had signed Charles death warrant.