The Day that Charles II Hid in an Oak Tree
On 6 September 1651, the future king of England, 21-year-old Charles Stuart, was the most wanted man in the country. Having been defeated at the Battle of Worcester, the young prince was being hunted down by Oliver Cromwell and his Parliamentarian army. Fearing for his life, Charles concealed himself in the branches of an oak tree while Cromwell’s soldiers searched the immediate area. This moment will forever be remembered as one of the most dramatic and daring escapes in British history, and led to the oak tree becoming a symbol of the resilience and strength of the future king.
The last skirmish
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 and was to be the last skirmish of the English Civil War. Charles II had been in exile, but returned in an attempt to reclaim the throne from Oliver Cromwell and his Parliamentarian forces. Charles’ army, made up of Scots and Royalists, suffered a crushing defeat during the battle and Charles was forced to flee.
With a bounty on his head and Cromwell’s army hot on his heels, Charles was in desperate need of refuge. He was initially whisked away to White Ladies Priory in Shropshire where he was helped by the Giffard family, local landowners and supporters of the Royalist cause. The Giffards enlisted the help of their estate manager, Richard Penderel, and his brothers, all of whom were Royalists. The brothers dressed the future king in farmer’s clothing, chopped off his long hair with shears and dirtied his face with soot. Richard and Charles then set off in the direction of Wales, but were forced to turn back. On 6 September, the pair arrived at Boscobel House, part of the Giffards’ estate, where they were looked after by another of the Penderel brothers.
On the run
Soon, news arrived that the Parliamentary army were closing in and searching the local area. So, Charles and one of his soldiers, Major William Careless, who had also taken refuge at Boscobel House, hid themselves in an oak tree in the grounds of the building. The two men remained in their hiding place all day, while at one point Cromwell’s soldiers searched the ground below them. The following day, the Penderel brothers guided Charles to Moseley Old Hall in Staffordshire, where he began the next stage of his journey.
Royal Oak Day
Thanks to the help of some more brave and loyal supporters, Charles made his way to Shoreham-on-Sea in Sussex, and eventually managed to escape to France, after six weeks on the run.
Charles was finally restored to the throne on 29 May 1660, after nine years in exile. This day became a public holiday, known as Royal Oak Day, and the image of the oak tree came to symbolise the king’s strength and resourcefulness.
The original oak tree in which Charles hid was reportedly destroyed during the 17th and 18th centuries by tourists who cut off branches as souvenirs. However, the story of his daring escape still lives on, over 300 years later.
