Chip Chick
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.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
