Thomas Stiles or Styles ('' fl.'' 1642–1662) of

Walton Walton may refer to: People * Walton (given name) * Walton (surname) * Susana, Lady Walton (1926–2010), Argentine writer Places Canada * Walton, Nova Scotia, a community ** Walton River (Nova Scotia) *Walton, Ontario, a hamlet United Kingdo ...

in the parish of Paston,

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...

, was a captain in the Royalist army during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...

. He was governor of

Crowland Crowland (modern usage) or Croyland (medieval era name and the one still in ecclesiastical use; cf. la, Croilandia) is a town in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated between Peterborough and Spalding. Crowland c ...

in 1642–1643 and after a time as a prisoner, commander of a troop of horse based at

Belvoir Castle Belvoir Castle ( ) is a faux historic castle and stately home in Leicestershire, England, situated west of the town of Grantham and northeast of Melton Mowbray. The Castle was first built immediately after the Norman Conquest of 1066 an ...

Biography

Crowland Abbey Crowland Abbey (also spelled Croyland Abbey, Latin: ''Croilandia'') is a Church of England parish church, formerly part of a Benedictine abbey church, in Crowland in the English county of Lincolnshire. It is a Grade I listed building. History A ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...

was garrisoned by Royalists in 1642, the first year of the Civil War. Captain Stiles was the first governor. At

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...

's request he was imprisoned in

Colchester Castle Colchester Castle is a Norman castle in Colchester, Essex, England, dating from the second half of the eleventh century. The keep of the castle is mostly intact and is the largest example of its kind anywhere in Europe, due to its being bui ...

after the abbey was captured by Parliamentary forces under Cromwell's command in 1643. In September 1644 (after 18 months' imprisonment), Styles was exchanged for Captain Henry Fines (alias Clinton), on the condition that Styles was to travel to Peterborough and from there to Belvoir Castle. At Belvoir, Styles took command of a troop of horse. Not long after his arrival his troop took part in an operation to relieve the garrison at Croyland, but it failed because of Parliamentary forces under the command of

Charles Fleetwood Charles Fleetwood (c. 1618 – 4 October 1692) was an English Parliamentarian soldier and politician, Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1652–1655, where he enforced the Cromwellian Settlement. Named Cromwell's Lieutenant General for the Third Englis ...

and

Thomas Fairfax Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (17 January 161212 November 1671), also known as Sir Thomas Fairfax, was an English politician, general and Parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War. An adept and talented command ...

. Styles held the command until the end of the First Civil War. The general surrender in his region of England followed the garrison of Newark's surrender on 6 May 1646 at the behest of Charles I ( after his journey to the Scottish army encamped besieging Newark). After the end of the First Civil War the estate belonging to Styles was sequestrated and he had to

compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struct ...

to get them back. In 1655—a time of tension (see

Penruddock uprising The Penruddock Uprising was a Royalist revolt launched on 11 March 1655, intending to restore Charles II to the throne of England. It was led by John Penruddock, a Wiltshire landowner who fought for Charles I in the First English Civil War; ...

)—Stiles had to provide a bond of £1,000 for his good conduct. In 1662 (after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660), Styles petitioned the Commissioners for the relief of loyal and indigent officers. Styles died in or around 1678.

Family

Stiles married Lucy.

Notes

References

* endnotes a list of primary sources: **pass signed by Thomas Lawrence, Mayor of Colchester, on behalf of Thomas Style **Warrant signed by Sir Gervase Lucas, to Colonel William and Captain Thomas Style **Contemporary transcripts of Charles I's order to Lord Belasyse for the surrender of Newark **Documents relating to Stiles's life during the Commonwealth and Protectorate {{DEFAULTSORT:Stiles, Thomas Cavaliers People from Peterborough