This is a timeline for the English Civil War in Shropshire.
Context
Politically, the English county of Shropshire was predominantly Royalist at the start of the civil war. Of the county's twelve Members at the Long Parliament called in 1640, eight would fight on the Royalist side and four for Parliament. 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. Parliamentary control of Shropshire was achieved after the capture of its last Royalist garrison by Parliament in 1646.
First English Civil War
1642
The week after raising his standard at Nottingham, Charles I proceeded into Shropshire, arriving via Newport in Wellington on 19 September.
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, and inspected his troops below the Wrekin. From Wellington he marched to Shrewsbury, where he was joined by his two sons, the Prince of Wales and James, Duke of York, his nephew Prince Rupert, and great numbers of noblemen and gentlemen, and established a mint in the town. 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.
1643
In January the king formally appointed Sir Francis Ottley as governor of Shrewsbury.
In counteraction to the king, the Parliamentarians, including some Shropshire gentry, formed their Committee of Association for Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire in April 1643.
In August Parliament garrisoned Wem. It was threatened by Royalist forces under Lord Capel, who were forced to retreat by a Parliamentary army arriving from Chester.
On 28 December 1643 Tong Castle was captured by Parliamentarian troops from Eccleshall, Staffordshire.
1644
On 13 March 1644 Hopton Castle was captured by the Royalists. The Parliamentary commander, Colonel More, did not surrender until after the final assault. 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.
On 25 March began the Battle of Longford, when Colonel Thomas Mytton, commanding 500 Parliamentarians, headed for the Royalist strongholds of Lilleshall Abbey and Lea Castle, paused at Longford near Newport which was garrisoned by Parliamentarians to rest his men. There, however, Sir William Vaughan and Colonel Robert Ellice led local Royalist forces to find Mytton and rout him. Having driven off Mytton, the Royalists then besieged the small garrison which took shelter in Longford Hall. The Hall held out for a week before surrendering to the Royalists 2 April 1644.
On 6 April Tong Castle was captured by the Royalists under the command of Prince Rupert.
In June the king was in Shrewsbury during the campaign that led to the Battle of Cropredy Bridge. The same month Oswestry was taken from the Royalists by the Earl of Denbigh. The inhabitants gave £500 to prevent the Parliamentary soldiers from plundering.
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.
By August, Prince Rupert had Sir Francis Ottley replaced as royal governor of Shrewsbury by Sir Fulke Hunckes, who, becoming locally unpopular, was later that year replaced by Sir Michael Earnley.
In early October, Sir William Vaughan, the Royalist governor of Shrawardine Castle, was captured by Major-General Thomas Mytton while receiving the sacrament in Shrawardine church. He was allowed back into the castle on pretext of negotiating the garrison's surrender, but tricked Mytton by raising the drawbridge and broke his parole. 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.