Table of Contents

Lord Saye and Sele’s Regiment of Foot

Flag Illustration 11)
Flag Illustration 22)
Active1642-5
CountryEngland
AllegianceParliamentarian
ConflictsFirst Civil War
TypeFoot
ColonelLord Saye and Sele
Sir John Meldrum
Edward Aldrich
Area RaisedNorth Oxfordshire?
Coat ColourBlue
Flag ColourBlue
Flag DesignGold Lions Rampant
Gold laurel Wreaths
Field ArmiesEssex 1642-4
New Model Army

Also Sir John Meldrum's Regiment of Foot, later Colonel Edward Aldrich's Regiment of Foot

Regiment of foot of Essex’s Army raised by Lord Saye and Sele but led by Meldrum until he was sent North and replaced by Aldrich. Entered the New Model Army under Col Lloyd

Service History

1642

1643

1644

1645

Notes

Flags, Coats and Equipment

Under Lord Saye and Sele (commanded by Meldrum) the regiment wore blue coats 3) and carried blue flags with gold lions rampant as devices (Illustration 1), sometimes interpreted as gold lions passant devices 4) based on Symonds' sketch, but in December 1644 received new flags with gold laurel wreath devices (Illustration 2).

Notable Officers

Lord Saye and Sele

William Fiennes, Lord Saye and Sele

Sir John Meldrum

Sir John Meldrum

Col. Edward Aldrich

From The Cromwell Association Online Directory of Parliamentarian Army Officers 5)

He began the civil war as lieutenant-colonel in Rochford’s regiment of foot in the earl of Essex’s Army. Having served under Sir John Meldrum as a major, sometime in summer 1643 he succeeded Meldrum as colonel of the regiment of foot initially raised and commanded by Viscount Saye and Sele. In spring 1645, he was earmarked for command of a New Model Army regiment of foot, but he resigned as he was dissatisfied with the officers assigned to him; at Fairfax’s request, he stayed in post for a few weeks, but was gone by early May 1645.

References: Wanklyn, New Model Army, 1. 48-9.

Officer Lists

Captains 1642

Mainly from “List of the Army”

Captains 1643

Mainly from a list of sick and wounded soldiers June 1643 (NA SP28/9/39)

Captains 1644

Mainly from a list of provisions issued (NA SP28/146/226-227)

Strength

See Also

Colonel Walter Lloyd’s Regiment of Foot

The regiment is re-enacted by Lord Saye and Sele's Blew Regiment of Foote of the Sealed Knot.

1) , 2) Flag image by kind permission of Wargames Designs
3) , 4) ECW Flags and Colours 1: English Foot, Stuart Peachey & Les Prince 1990, Partizan Press ISBN:0946525846
5) 'Surnames beginning 'A'', in The Cromwell Association Online Directory of Parliamentarian Army Officers , ed. Stephen K Roberts (2017), British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/cromwell-army-officers/surnames-a [accessed 1 June 2022].
6) N.A. SP28/265/157