In the engagement, Sir William Brereton and the Parliamentarians were ultimately successful in taking possession of the city and Royalist garrison commanded by Lord Byron.

[1] In March 1643, Sir William Brereton was put in command of the Parliamentarian forces in Cheshire, an area where most of the gentry supported King Charles.

During this time, Brereton did what he could to stop the flow of provisions and munitions into the city, however, his force was not large enough to put a total blockade into effect.

Once again, however, the siege was interrupted approximately three weeks later when Brereton was ordered to withdraw his forces back to the River Mersey because of the reported approach of a Royalist army.

At the beginning of August 1645, Charles left Raglan with some 2,500 men, marching northwards along the Welsh border in the hope of rallying more Royalists to his cause in the north of England.

[8] The King continued to advance to the north and on 22 September he reached Chirk Castle where he received news of a Parliamentarian attack on Chester.

[3][5] Early on 20 September 1645, just before daylight, a New Model Army force of more than 700 infantry and an equal number of cavalry, led by Colonel Michael Jones, began a fresh assault on Chester.

After Jones had ordered the burning of the urban areas in front of the east gate, he moved artillery up to St John the Baptist's Church to bombard the city wall.

The King reached Chester on 23 September[1] with an advance party consisting of his lifeguards, Gerard's brigade of some 600 horse, and a small number of foot soldiers.

[1][5] Moving north-east, Langdale received reports near the village of Rowton that Poyntz's Parliamentarian cavalry was approaching Chester from Whitchurch, Shropshire.

King Charles is said to have watched the ensuing defeat of his forces at the Battle of Rowton Heath from the Phoenix Tower on Chester's city walls.

[1] King Charles remained in Chester overnight, but on 25 September, he broke away with a force of 500 mounted troopers and rode to Denbigh in North Wales.

In addition to the loss of life that occurred, many buildings, including dwellings, mansions, barns, work-houses, dairy-houses, halls, and chapels, were destroyed.