She Defended An Entire Castle From A 1,300 Person Invasion For 5 Days With A Few Maidservants And Her 25 Male Servants

Chip Chick |

Aug 2, 2023

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Do you know the story of a woman who defended an entire castle against an army during the 1640s?

It was Lady Blanche Arundell, and her story is quite fascinating.

Blanche was born in England around 1583. She was the daughter of Edward Somerset, the 4th Earl of Worcester, and Lady Elizabeth Hastings.

She married Thomas Arundell in 1607, and he became the noble 2nd Baron Arundell after his father died.

Blanche and Thomas lived together as Catholic aristocrats in Wardour Castle in Salisbury, England. In August 1642, England entered a civil war due to conflicts between King Charles I and Parliament.

Because of their Catholic background, Blanche and Thomas were supporters of the king.

In the spring of 1643, when Blanche was 60-years-old, Thomas left her and her daughter-in-law, grandchildren, a chaplain, 25 male servants, and a few maidservants.

As tensions grew between those who supported the king and Parliamentarians, the Parliamentarian militia set their sights on taking Wardour Castle from the Arundells.

An army of 1,300 men led by Sir Edward Hungerford arrived at Wardour Castle in May of 1643 and demanded that Blanche surrender her home. She bravely refused and stood her ground, ready to do whatever it took to protect her castle and those in it.

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For five days, Blanche and those inside Wardour Castle stood their ground as the army shot at the castle from the outside. How wild is that?

It wasn’t until the final days when the Parliamentarian army set off explosions that damaged the castle, prompting Blanche to surrender on the condition that those in her household be spared.

Unfortunately, not all of Blanche’s terms for surrender were met, and she was imprisoned along with her daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Blanche was released not long after due to illness along with her daughter-in-law and passed away in Winchester, England, in 1649.

Before passing, she discovered that her husband, Thomas, had been killed in battle the same month Wardour was attacked.

Although her outcome was not a positive one, the bravery of Lady Blanche is quite astonishing and is a fascinating piece of English history. Those who may find themselves out near the Wiltshire countryside in England can visit the ruins of Wardour Castle today.

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