Sir John Arundell (of Trerice)
Governor of Pendennis Castle July 1643 to
August 1646.
The son of the builder of that impresive house,Trerice which issituated 2 miles from Newquay in the parish of Newlyn East. An inteligent man who became a member of Parliament on two occasions and who generally led a quiet life until he was 65.
Then, in 1642 the first Civil War broke out changing his life and that of every man, women and child in the country.
As a prominent loyalist, who was determined to support his King, against what was to him an unholy revolution by Parliment, he hurried to join the King's supporters at court. There he was entrusted by King Charles with a 'Commissions of Array' in June 1642. He played a undistinguished part in the hostilities untill early March 1646 when he was sent by Ralph Hopton ( 1st. Baron, commander for the King in the southwest 1642-46) to reinforce Pendennis Castle, Falmouth with 900 men.
There the Parlimentary forces under Thomas Fairfax, 3rd. Baron Fairfax of Cameron, (Parliamentary General of Horse appointed to supreme command of the Parlimentary forces in 1645) laid siege to the castle.
Fairfax demanded that Sir John surrender the castle, stores, troop and their arms to him allowing only 2 hours for him to reply.He replied thus
'Sir, The Castle was committed to my government by His Majesty, who by our laws hath the command of the Castles and Forts of this Kingdom, and my age of seventy summons me hence shortly. Yet I shall desire no other testimony to follow my departure than my conscience to God and loyalty to His Majesty, whereto I am bound by all the obligations of nature, duty and oath. I wonder you demand the castle without authority from His Majesty, which if I should render, I brand myself and my posterity with the indelible character of Treason. And having taken less than two minutes resolution, I resolve that I will here bury myself before I deliver up this Castle to such a fight against His Majesty, and that nothing you can threaten is formidable to me in respect of this of loyalty and conscience. Your servant, John Arundell of Trerice, 18th. March, 1645'.
Under pressure from Parliment to subdue the south-west for once and all Fairfax moved on leaving Colonel Hamond and Admiral Batten (commanding the sea blockade) to the siege. As the seige wore on supplies of food became critical and the garrison was reduced to 'eating horses for beef'. This and other shortages coupled with news of more Parlimentary victories led to some of the troops deserting.
With this in mind Arundell wrote to the Prince on the 27th. June 'it is now come to the last with us'. Not withstanding this he continued to hold out for another 2 months until he could not stand the woman and children dying of starvation.
Sir John Arundell surrendered on August 17th. The garrison marched out with their arms 'colors flying, trumpets sounding, drums beating holding matches lighted at both ends, and bullets in their mouths' (This was the end of the Civil War in Cornwall).
In the spring of 1648 during the second Civil War Arundell was suspected of instigating a revolt on the Lizard and subsequently he was heavily fined.
