| Active | 1642 to 1646 |
| Country | England |
| Allegiance | Parliamentarian |
| Conflicts | First Civil War |
| Type | Foot |
| Colonel | Lord Grey of Groby |
| Theophilus Grey | |
| Area Raised | Leicester |
| Coat Colour | blue? |
| Flag Colour | unknown |
| Flag Design | unknown |
| Field Armies | Midland Association (Grey), 1643-45 |
| Northern Army (Poyntz), 1645-46 | |
| Garrison |
Later, Colonel Theophilus Grey's Regiment of Foot
Parliamentarian regiment of foot based at Leicester and drawn out to fight at Newark
Grey of Groby's regiment was based at Leicester for much of the war, and were sometimes known as the Leicester Foot. A military action marked ? denotes a reference made to Lord Grey's forces, but no direct reference to his foot regiment. The regiment was sometimes commanded in the field by Lt Colonel Henry Grey, Lord Grey's cousin. By spring 1645 Theophilus Grey was Colonel of the regiment and governor of Leicester.
Possibly blue coats. Lord Grey's father, Henry Grey, Earl of Stamford, issued his own regiment of foot with blue coats when it was raised at Leicester in the summer of 1642 and had formed a guard at the Greys' family seat of Bradgate Park. As Lord Grey's Regiment was formed at roughly the same time and place as Stamford's, it is possible that they were similarly issued with blue coats.14) However, coats for the Earl of Stamford’s Regiment of Foot were provided by the Committee of Safety from London.
The Victorian romance “Master Dod's Blessing” makes specific reference to “Sir John Gell's grey coats, [and] some of my Lord Grey's own blues”, although a 19th-century children's story might not be considered a reliable source.15)
The design of the regimental colours is not recorded. There is reference in the Leicester Chamberlains' Accounts for 1641-1642: “paid for the colours for the trained bands then Lili”16)
Younger brother of Henry Grey, 10th Earl of Kent. Captain of a company of the regiment at Hinckley, March 1644. Colonel of the regiment and Governor of Leicester from the spring of 1645. Wounded in action at the defence of Leicester, May 31 1645. Later commanded the regiment at the siege of Newark.17)
The son of Ambrose Grey of Enville Hall, Staffordshire, and first cousin of Thomas, Lord Grey of Groby. Lieutenant Colonel 09/02/44 - 22/09/44,18) Commanded the regiment in the actions at Hinckley and Cotes Bridge 1644. Governor of Leicester in 1644. Served as Governor of Grantham and took command of Colonel Thomas Rainsborough’s Regiment of Foot in Lincolnshire, 04/04/45 - 25/08/4619) after Rainsborough transferred to the 'new model'. Spring is mistaken in giving this to Col James Grey. Henry Grey led Rainsborough's former regiment at the capture of Hougham Manor (June 1645)20) the surrender of Belvoir Castle (January 1646),21) and at the final siege of Newark. Subsequently served with his regiment in Ireland.22) Justice of the Peace for Staffordshire, 1680.23)
In May 1643, Colonel Devereux Wolseley estimated Leicester's forces to be “not above 400”.24) In July 1644, Lord Grey wrote that his foot regiment's strength was “450 marching men”.25) The regiment's strength at Leicester in May 1645 was 529,26) divided among the following companies:
Lord Grey of Groby's Regiment is re-enacted by Lord Thomas Grey's Regiment of Foote of the Sealed Knot.