Nicholas Slanning

For other people named Nicholas Slanning, see Nicholas Slanning (disambiguation).

Braddock Down

Modbury

Bristol

Bickleigh

Sourton Down

Roundway Down

Beacon Hill

Falmouth

Stratton

Plymouth

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War in the West, 1642 to 1643

As tensions mounted, Slanning used his position in Falmouth to import military supplies for the Royalist cause. When the First English Civil War broke out in August 1642, he began raising troops in Cornwall. ^[13] He, Grenville, William Godolphin, Trevanion and Warwick Mohun recruited five regiments collectively known as "the Tinners", since many came from local tin mines controlled by Slanning and Godolphin. ^[14]

Although regarded as some of the best infantry available to the Royalists, the rank and file often had little choice in deciding whether to "volunteer"; Grenville, generally regarded as a benevolent landlord, threatened his tenants and employees with sanctions if they refused to sign up. In addition, while militia on both sides often refused to serve outside their own counties, the Cornish were particularly noted for their reluctance to serve outside Cornwall or under non-Cornish officers, factors which later limited their usefulness. ^[15]

In October, Slanning relinquished his position as Governor of Pendennis and joined the field army assembled by Sir Ralph Hopton for an unsuccessful attack on Exeter. After victory at Braddock Down in January 1643, Hopton moved against Plymouth but many of the Cornish troops refused to cross the River Tamar into Devon. ^[16] The Royalists were very short of basic supplies like gunpowder and ammunition and on 21 February were routed by Parliamentarian troops at Modbury; Slanning's regiment suffered over 350 killed, wounded or captured. ^[17]

The two sides agreed a local truce, an agreement greeted with incredulity by William Waller, Parliamentarian commander in the West. ^[18] Hopton used the opportunity to reorganise his army, while Slanning brought his unit back up to full strength and they resumed the offensive after the truce ended in April. Although repulsed at Sourton Down on 25 April, the Royalists won a resounding victory at Stratton on 16 May, Slanning and Trevanion commanding the left flank of their attack. ^[19] Having linked up with Prince Maurice, they advanced into Somerset and defeated Waller first at Landsdowne on 5 July, then Roundway Down eight days later. These victories ensured Royalist control of South West England but the Cornish foot suffered heavy casualties, including Grenville who was killed at Lansdowne. ^[20]

Recognising an opportunity to capture Bristol, then the second-largest port in England, Prince Rupert left Oxford and on 23 July met up with Prince Maurice and the Western Army outside the city. Early on the morning of 26 July, simultaneous attacks were made by Prince Rupert's men in the north while Prince Maurice assaulted the stronger southern defences. Although the northern attack was successful, the Cornish were repulsed three times and lost over 200 combatants, including many senior officers. ^[21] Trevanion died of his wounds the same night, Slanning "had his thigh broken with a case shot, whereof he dyed three weeks later". ^[22]

References

1. Jones 1887, p. 459.
2. Burke 1831, p. 498.
3. Burke 1831, p. 15.
4. Dunthorne 2017, p. 176.
5. Knights of England
6. Harrington 2007, p. 153.
7. Tinniswood 2013, p. 28.
8. Birch 1742, pp. 2–3.
9. Royle 2004, p. 115.
10. Wolfe 2004.
11. Rushworth 1721, p. 246.
12. HMSO 1767, pp. 274–279.
13. Andriette 1971, p. 71.
14. Stoyle 2002, pp. 205–207.
15. Barratt 2005, p. 18.
16. Barratt 2005, pp. 22–27.
17. BCW.
18. Royle 2004, p. 238.
19. Barratt 2005, pp. 35–36.
20. Royle 2004, pp. 243–245.
21. Barratt 2005, p. 67.
22. Firth & Leslie 1925, p. 196.

Sources

• Andriette, Eugene A (1971). Devon and Exeter in the Civil War. David & Charles. ISBN   978-0715352564.
• Barratt, John (2005). The Civil War in the South-West. Pen & Sword Military. ISBN   1-84415-146-8.
• BCW. "Sir Nicholas Slanning's Regiment of Foot". BCW Project. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
• Birch, Thomas (1742). State Papers May 1639 in A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Volume 1, 1638-1653. Fletcher Gyles.
• Burke, John (1831). A general and heraldic dictionary of the peerages of England, Ireland, and Scotland, extinct, dormant, and in abeyance. England. Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley.
• Dunthorne, Hugh (2017). Hermans, Theo; Salverda, Reinier (eds.). The Dutch Revolt in English political culture 1585-1660 in From Revolt to Riches: Culture and History of the Low Countries, 1500–1700. UCL Press. ISBN   978-1910634875.
• Firth, Charles Harding; Leslie, JH (1925). "The Siege and capture of Bristol by Royalist forces in 1643". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 4 (18). JSTOR   44227516.
• Harrington, Peter (2007). The Castles of Henry VIII. Osprey Publishing. ISBN   978-1472803801.
• HMSO (1767). 9 August 1642: Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 5, 1642-1643. HMSO.
• Jones, W (1887). Transactions of the Devon Association; Volume 19. W Brendon & Son.
• Royle, Trevor (2004). Civil War: The Wars of the Three Kingdoms 1638–1660. Abacus. ISBN   978-0-349-11564-1.
• Rushworth, John (1721). Historical Collections of Private Passages of State: Volume 4, May 1641. Browne & Son.
• Stoyle, Mark (2002). West Britons: Cornish identities and the early modern British state. University of Exeter Press. ISBN   978-0859896870.
• Tinniswood, Adrian (2013). The Rainborowes. Random House. ISBN   978-1448156443.
• Wolfe, Mary (2004). "Slanning, Sir Nicholas (1606–1643)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/25714.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

Sir Nicholas Slanning JP
Portrait of Slanning by unknown artist, early 19th century
Member of Parliament for Penryn
In office November 1640 –August 1642 (excluded)

Parliament of England
Vacant Parliament suspended since 1629	Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle 1640 (April) With: Richard Strode Sir Thomas Hele, 1st Baronet Michael Oldisworth	Succeeded by Sir Thomas Hele, 1st Baronet Hugh Potter
Preceded by Sir Richard Vyvyan, 1st Baronet Joseph Hall	Member of Parliament for Penryn 1640–1642 With: John Bampfylde	Succeeded by John Bampfylde other seat vacant