[3] The prison was recreated in the 1580s, however, for holding recusants, that is to say Roman Catholics who refused to attend Church of England services as was required by law.

[7] When the First English Civil War began in August 1642, Banbury Castle was fortified by a Parliamentarian garrison under Richard Fiennes' son William.

[8] After the battle of Edgehill in October, the Royalist army marched south and forced the surrender of the castle and its stock of 1,500 firearms.

[7] The fortifications were strengthened and in 1644 the castle was besieged again, this time by Parliamentarian forces under the command of William Fiennes.

[7] After the war the castle itself was slighted, or deliberately demolished, in 1648 to prevent its further use; Fiennes was paid £2,000 by Parliament in compensation.