Sir Hugh Cholmeley, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Hugh Cholmeley, 1st Baronet (born Thornton-le-Dale
, Yorkshire
) (22 July 1600 – 20 November 1657) was a Member of Parliament
(MP) and Royalist leader during the English Civil War
. His name is sometimes spelled Cholmley.
Cholmeley was the son of Sir Richard Cholmeley, and was educated at Beverley Free School and Jesus College, Cambridge
. In 1624 he was elected MP for Scarborough
, and represented the town in every succeeding Parliament until he was excluded from the House of Commons
for his Royalist activities in 1643. He was knighted in 1626, and created a baronet
in 1641.
During the years when Charles I
ruled without Parliament, Cholmeley became, together with Sir John Hotham
one of the leaders of resistance among the Yorkshire
gentry. He organised a number of petitions and protests, and in 1639 he refused to pay ship money
. As a result was dismissed from all his posts, and summoned before the Council of State
, the King reportedly telling Hotham and Cholmeley that if they interfered again he would hang them both.
Initially a Parliamentarian when civil war broke out, Cholmely was one of the parliamentary commissioners sent to negotiate with the King in May 1642; he raised a regiment for the Parliamentary army which fought at the Battle of Edgehill
, and later joined with Fairfax
in his campaign against the royalist garrison at York
.
However, when the Queen
landed in Yorkshire, returning from the Netherlands where she had been attempting to raise money and troops, Cholmeley declared for the King, and Newcastle put him in command all maritime affairs along the northern half of the Yorkshire coast. After the Royalist defeat at the Battle of Marston Moor
, Cholmely refused to flee the country, holding Scarborough for the king during its 'Great Siege'
, until he was forced to surrender on 22 July 1645.
He spent most of the rest of his life in exile, writing his memoirs before his death in 1657.
Thornton-le-Dale
Thornton-le-Dale is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England, about two miles east of Pickering. A thatched cottage in the village has appeared on countless calendars and chocolate boxes over the years...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
) (22 July 1600 – 20 November 1657) was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) and Royalist leader during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. His name is sometimes spelled Cholmley.
Cholmeley was the son of Sir Richard Cholmeley, and was educated at Beverley Free School and Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
. In 1624 he was elected MP for Scarborough
Scarborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Scarborough was the name of a constituency in Yorkshire, electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons, at two periods. From 1295 until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough consisting only of the town of Scarborough, electing two MPs until 1885 and one from 1885 until 1918...
, and represented the town in every succeeding Parliament until he was excluded from the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for his Royalist activities in 1643. He was knighted in 1626, and created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1641.
During the years when Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
ruled without Parliament, Cholmeley became, together with Sir John Hotham
John Hotham
Sir John Hotham, 1st Baronet, of Scorborough , English parliamentarian, belonged to a Yorkshire family, and fought on the continent of Europe during the early part of the Thirty Years' War....
one of the leaders of resistance among the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
gentry. He organised a number of petitions and protests, and in 1639 he refused to pay ship money
Ship money
Ship money refers to a tax that Charles I of England tried to levy without the consent of Parliament. This tax, which was only applied to coastal towns during a time of war, was intended to offset the cost of defending that part of the coast, and could be paid in actual ships or the equivalent value...
. As a result was dismissed from all his posts, and summoned before the Council of State
Council of State
The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of a privy council.-Modern:*Belgian...
, the King reportedly telling Hotham and Cholmeley that if they interfered again he would hang them both.
Initially a Parliamentarian when civil war broke out, Cholmely was one of the parliamentary commissioners sent to negotiate with the King in May 1642; he raised a regiment for the Parliamentary army which fought at the Battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
, and later joined with Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was a general and parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War...
in his campaign against the royalist garrison at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
However, when the Queen
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
landed in Yorkshire, returning from the Netherlands where she had been attempting to raise money and troops, Cholmeley declared for the King, and Newcastle put him in command all maritime affairs along the northern half of the Yorkshire coast. After the Royalist defeat at the Battle of Marston Moor
Battle of Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
, Cholmely refused to flee the country, holding Scarborough for the king during its 'Great Siege'
Great Siege of Scarborough Castle
The Great Siege of Scarborough Castle was a major conflict for control of one of England's most important stone fortresses during the English Civil War , fought between Oliver Cromwell's parliamentary Roundheads and the Royalists loyal to King Charles I...
, until he was forced to surrender on 22 July 1645.
He spent most of the rest of his life in exile, writing his memoirs before his death in 1657.