AS the late summer sun began to fade on September 3 1651, Charles Stuart paused briefly at Barbourne Brook. Some of his men, what was left of his army, would have rushed past as they tried to flee the carnage in the narrow streets of Worcester.
This would be the last time Charles would ever see our city.
Nine years to the day, after the Battle of Worcester, Charles was enjoying his exile with the Royal families of Europe. The battle he lost was now a distant memory. Meanwhile Oliver Cromwell died, leaving the Commonwealth without a strong leader.
Cromwell’s son, Richard, took over as Lord Protector, but left this position after just eight months. Meanwhile wheels had been set in motion to restore the monarchy that had ended with the execution of King Charles I in 1649.
The Restoration took place on May 29 1660, the day Charles celebrated his 30th birthday.
“Parliament had ordered the 29 of May, the King’s birthday, to be for ever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King’s return to his Government, he entering London that day.”
As King Charles rode triumphantly through London, the Worcester Corporation decided to hide the city’s disloyalty from 1651. They did this by first proclaiming their loyalty to the newly Restored King.
Letters were also penned to invite Charles back to Worcester. His failure to visit is a damning piece of evidence that Charles did not see Worcester as his Faithful City.
Worcester men had fought the Royalists around Ombersley, when they arrived at the end of August 1651.
These same men also barricaded the Gates of Worcester shut and then escaped to join Cromwell’s Army near Evesham.
The Citizens went on to disappoint Charles when he tried to muster able-bodied men to join his cause. Many Worcester traders and merchants were open supporters of Parliament’s cause.
When the Battle of Worcester began on September 3, brave Worcester men went on to liberate their city from this ‘‘Scotch Invasion”.
The oak tree at Boscobel that hid the King during his escape from the Battle of Worcester
However Worcester has celebrated Restoration Day, known to many as Oak Apple Day or Royal Oak Day, ever since, the name being taken from the oak tree at Boscobel that hid the King during his escape from the Battle of Worcester.
The first celebration was recorded in the Chamber Order Book: “Worcester had been decked with Oak branches and much feasting carried out’’.
By the 19th century, the city added oak branches to the newly erected iron gates of the Guildhall. This tradition continued until the end of the 20th century.
The gates at the Guildhall framed by oak leaves in celebration of Oak Apple Day
The day was even a National Holiday until 1859 and is sometimes referred to as Pinch Bum Day or Nettle Day, after the punishments meted out for failing to wear oak leaves!
In 2003, after a gap of about five years, Discover History resurrected Oak Apple Day. In 2010 we also organised ‘Oak Apple 350’.
We planned to make it as close to the original celebration as possible.
The focal point for the day was an exhibition at the Guildhall and several lectures on the events 350 years earlier.
A declaration of loyalty was signed by visitors, church bells rang the Royal Peal and every visitor received a free sprig of oak leaves to wear.
Many shops also decorated their frontages with oak boughs and flags, and replica proclamations, declaring Charles as King were put up around the city centre.
The only thing not carried out was the ‘‘great multitude of bonfires around the City”!
Will you be wearing oak leaves at the end of the month?
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