As one of England’s largest and most strategically important counties Lancashire was the scene of much conflict during the English Civil War. The Royalist stronghold of Lathom House at Lathom close to Ormskirk endured a torrid siege from February to May 1644, but was stoutly defended by its small garrison under the determined leadership of its mistress, Lady Charlotte de Tremouille. The siege occurred during the latter stages of the war, when the Royalists were on the cusp of defeat and Lathom House was their last remaining stronghold in Lancashire.
Seat of the Stanley Family
Lathom was the seat of the powerful Stanley family, who were ardent royalists. The siege occurred after James Stanley, Lady Charlotte’s husband and Earl of Derby, was sent to the Isle of Man by Charles I to fortify against a potential Scottish invasion. The house was left in the care of Lady Charlotte, who for the sake of her absent husband’s honour was determined to hold Lathom and refused Parliament’s demands that she surrender the place. Parliament lost patience and dispatched Sir Thomas Fairfax, one of the principal and best Roundhead generals, to take or destroy Lathom House.
Demands that the Countess surrender
When Fairfax arrived in February he demanded that the Countess surrender. Lady Charlotte asked for a week to consider it and invited him as a guest to conduct negotiations. This was all a ruse to buy time to improve Lathom House’s defences, for the Countess and her household scornfully rejected Fairfax’s terms and refused to listen to the emissary he sent to try and re-open negotiations.
