Colonel William Ashburnham’s Regiment of Foot

Royalist West Country infantry regiment that served with Hopton, then as a garrison unit

• Raised in the West Country

• January: Battle of Braddock Down
• April: Battle of Sourton Down?
• May: Battle of Stratton??
• June to September: Siege of Exeter
• July: Engagement at Topsham
• September onwards: Garrison of Exeter

• April: Storm of Wareham
• May-June: Siege of Lyme
• June: Portland Castle?

• October to April: Besieged in Exeter

• April: Surrender of Exeter
• May to June: Siege of Oxford
• June: Disbanded at surrender of Oxford

Although possibly present on Hopton’s Lansdown campaign, they are more likely to have remained at the siege of Exeter.

Coat colours and flags are unknown, but the regiment was equipped with muskets only. They were issued 1000 muskets from Weymouth by February 1644.¹⁾. This was due to an administrative error at the Bristol Ordnance Office but when discovered, Ashburnham refused to return the excess muskets.

A list of the regiment's officers is shown in Officers and Regiments of the Royalist Army by Stuart Reid (Partizan Press).

William Ashburnham commanded the foot besieged at Sherborne Castle in September 1642. In June 1644 Ashburnham evacuated Wareham in the face of Essex’s army’s advance into the West, retiring to Portland. Whether his Regiment of Foot accompanied him, remained with Maurice’s forces or returned to Exeter is uncertain.

Colonel William Ashburnhams regiment of Foot

I.O. ALL DONE

Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Frowde (3)

Captain James Hussey Ment. I.O. Captain Pollard (1) Captain John Richardson I.O. L + W Captain John Turberville (4)

Lieutenant Bryant (2) Lieutenant Thomas Christopher I.O. Dorset Lieutenant James Hoskins I.O. Dorset Lieutenant Lionell Keymor I.O. Somerset Lieutenant Christopher Tart I.O. L + W to Capt. Hussey Lieutenant White (1)

Ensign Giles French I.O. Dorset to Capt. Richardson

(1) E.127.29

(2) Harl.Mss. 6802 f.15

(3) Mercurius Aulicus 13.4.1644 See Lord Inchiquins Regiment of Foot for narration of storm of Wareham and attribution of Frowde. SP23.142.133 The humble petition of Coll. Phillip Frowde sheweth that hee having borne armes for his Majesty in this unhappy warr is come in upon the articles of Exeter and in order hereunto humbly desires the honorable committee to admit him to his composition. 13.7.1646

(4) SP19.126.139 A list of delinquents in the County of Dorset 26.6.1648 Mr John Turberville of Wool brigge occasioned Lulworth Castle to be made a garrison by the Kings party and went in the head of a foot company thether and quartered there a good space.Was in armes at Sherburne against the Parliament where the Earl of Bedford was before it. I have tentatively listed him under col. William Ashburnham.

E.47.27 Copy of one of his warrants issued May 1644.

E.256.27 Ashburnham abandons Weymouth and goes into Portland Isle. Oct 44.

Captain Henry Coker

SP23.175.421 Extract The humble petition of Henrie Coker of Hermitage in the County of Dorset Gent, Sheweth that hee havinge ye Comand of a Troope of horse in ye Regiment of Colonell Ashbourneham in ye County of Dorset did about two yeares since quitt ye service . That on ye 2nd of July 1645 ye petitioner made his address to this honourable comittee to make his Composition for his sayd delinquency att which time all the estate of ye petitioner lay wholly under ye command and poeer of ye enemy.

Colonel William Ashburnham’s Regiment of Horse