[1] Control of the area was important to the King as Shropshire was a gateway to predominantly Royalist Wales as well as to keep in contact with the north-western counties and the western port links with Ireland.
On 20 September he issued the Wellington Declaration promising to preserve the Protestant religion, laws, and liberties of his subjects, and the privileges of Parliament,[3] and inspected his troops below the Wrekin.
He remained there until 12 October, when he marched to Bridgnorth, and from there advanced to Edge Hill, in Warwickshire, where the first pitched battle of the First Civil War was fought.
The Royalist commander Sir Michael Woodhouse, at his digression (his prerogative under the laws of war as they were practised at that time), decided not to grant the majority of his prisoners quarter and they were killed by their captors.
However the Parliamentary side believed for some months that prior to the surrender terms had been agreed which included the sparing of the lives of the garrison and so the killings were a breach of the law of war.
It was not until October that year the Colonel More's account was published, setting the record straight, but not in time to prevent Parliamentary propaganda vilifying the Royalists for their alleged Perfidy.
[4] In July Oswestry was besieged by the Royalists under Colonel Marrowe, but it was relieved by Sir Thomas Myddelton, who took Lord Newport's eldest son, Francis, and 200 men prisoners.
[12] By the winter Vaughan was appointed general of Shropshire, and quartered his regiment around the county, leaving his parson brother James in charge of Shrawardine.
[14] At the surrender Thomas Mytton, the Parliamentarian Governor of Wem and in command of the Parliamentary Forces, took 15 pieces of ordnance, about 60 gentlemen, and 200 soldiers.
[15] On 4 and 5 July, Sir William Vaughan won two significant victories, resulting in the relief of the besieged garrison of High Ercall.
[16] At 3 o'clock in the morning of 4 September Charles II and the Earl of Derby arrived at White Ladies Priory, fleeing from defeat at the battle of Worcester.
On 15 October 1651 Captain John Benbow, uncle to the renowned admiral, was shot on the Shrewsbury Castle's green following capture at Battle of Worcester.