Chipping, Hertfordshire: Difference between revisions

In April 1643, during the second year of the English Civil War, a skirmish occurred in Chipping, which was situated along the worst section of Ermine Street. A group of Parliamentarians were sent by Oliver Cromwell to collect treasures from Cambridge, including a new helmet ordered by Cromwell as he found his old helmet “ill-set”.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kingston |first1=Alfred |title=Hertfordshire During the Great Civil War and the Long Parliament |date=1894 |publisher=Hertfordshire Record Society |location=London |pages=34 |url=https://wwwbooks.google.co.ukcom/books/edition/Hertfordshire_During_the_Great_Civil_War/_nALAAAAYAAJ?hlid=en&gbpv=1_nALAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> When passing through Chipping they were “set upon by a Royalist party with so much vigour, and evidently superior numbers that while the fight was proceeding some of the attacking party carried on with most of the baggage”.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kingston |first1=Alfred |title=Hertfordshire During the Great Civil War and the Long Parliament |date=1894 |publisher=Hertfordshire Record Society |location=London |pages=34 |url=https://wwwbooks.google.co.ukcom/books/edition/Hertfordshire_During_the_Great_Civil_War/_nALAAAAYAAJ?hlid=en&gbpv=1_nALAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> After much fighting, the Parliamentarians were able to beat off the Royalist assault and escape with Cromwell’s helmet.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kingston |first1=Alfred |title=Hertfordshire During the Great Civil War and the Long Parliament |date=1894 |publisher=Hertfordshire Record Society |location=London |pages=34 |url=https://wwwbooks.google.co.ukcom/books/edition/Hertfordshire_During_the_Great_Civil_War/_nALAAAAYAAJ?hlid=en&gbpv=1_nALAAAAYAAJ}}</ref>

One Parliamentarian at the skirmish later said, “We went up with the treasure; got sadly mauled coming back by ruffians at Chipping, but lost near all our luggage”.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kingston |first1=Alfred |title=Hertfordshire During the Great Civil War and the Long Parliament |date=1894 |publisher=Hertfordshire Record Society |location=London |pages=34 |url=https://wwwbooks.google.co.ukcom/books/edition/Hertfordshire_During_the_Great_Civil_War/_nALAAAAYAAJ?hlid=en&gbpv=1_nALAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> On the delivery of his new helmet, Cromwell commended the victories’ party.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kingston |first1=Alfred |title=Hertfordshire During the Great Civil War and the Long Parliament |date=1894 |publisher=Hertfordshire Record Society |location=London |pages=34 |url=https://wwwbooks.google.co.ukcom/books/edition/Hertfordshire_During_the_Great_Civil_War/_nALAAAAYAAJ?hlid=en&gbpv=1_nALAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> With the Chipping helmet becoming the first of Cromwell’s recognisable helmets that he wore throughout the remaining civil war.