Published: 07 July 2025

While Cumbria is often celebrated for its scenic beauty, its landscapes also hide secret chapters from the English Civil War. One such chapter involves a notably scandalous episode in 1643, when Royalist (Cavalier) troops stayed at Holker Hall—not just as honoured guests, but as unruly visitors who reportedly abused their host’s hospitality.

Holker Hall, 1643: “They ate him up at his table…”

In the book Barrow in Furness, Its History, Development, Commerce, Industries and Institutions… Illustrated, the chronicler notes that during the 1643 occupation, the Cavaliers, presumably working their way back south following their ships’ departure from Dalton bound for Liverpool,  “eat him up at his table, stealing sheep and coursing deer” – an unembellished and candid account of the response to Colonel Preston’s offer of hospitality at Holker Hall. Rather than being deferential guests, they turned Holker into a temporary larder—and a hunting ground. Preston, whose loyalty to the king was evident, found that despite willingly extending a generous hand of hospitality, his estate was pillaged under the guise of camaraderie.

Cavalier Conduct: not always chivalrous

While some Royalist officers were indeed gentlemen, contemporary accounts suggest that behaviour was inconsistent. Many troopers and cavalrymen—often poorly paid—resorted to requisitioning supplies by force, believing the war effort justified such actions. Captain John Berkeley, a Royalist chronicler, wrote that troops often regarded estates as “living storehouses” during campaigns. Meanwhile, Parliamentary sources accused Cavaliers of “ravaging” estates loyal to Parliament. At Holker, the pillaging of sheep and deer aligns with what historians describe as common wartime practice: built-in allowances for living off the land—even if it meant violating hospitality and damaging local livelihoods.

Local War Theatre: Walney and Dalton

The historical chronicles of Barrow in Furness also mentions nearby presences of Royalist forces. Walney Island’s shores, locally important for the coastal control they afforded.  bore witness to patrols and skirmishes, Cavaliers likely used it to protect passage to Lancashire. Dalton-in-Furness with its impressive castle brimming with defensive potential, was eyed by both sides eyed as a local strongpoint—though detailed records are sparse.

Cavalier temporary occupation of estates like Holker allowed them mobility through these contested zones. Their presence on private lands ensured they could forage and harass without fixed garrisons yet retain strategic access.

The Aftermath: Sequestration

Holker Hall was officially sequestered by Parliament in 1644, meaning the estate was confiscated from Thomas Preston as a penalty for his Royalist allegiance. Its sequestration by Parliament began in 1644, undertaken by the Sequestration Committee. Under the regime, estates were confiscated—sometimes let to tenants—and the income diverted to parliamentary coffers. Owners could regain their property by ‘compounding’: paying a fine to the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents, based on the estate’s value and level of Royalist support.

Records confirm the Committee operated from 1643–1656 and absorbed the Sequestration Committee by 1650. However, official documentation does not list exact dates for Thomas Preston’s compounding at Holker. Local sources describe his sequestration as a “brief hiatus” before restoration upon payment.

Since Preston’s heirs still held Holker by 1664, it’s clear the process concluded well before then. Considering usual composition timelines, a sequestration period of one to two years—rather than a longer duration—seems most plausible.

Visit Holker and witness history

Today’s visitors to Holker Hall & Gardens stroll through peaceful formal gardens, ancient woodlands and its legendary deer park, quite possibly the site of the cavalier camp and the venue for their infamous deer-coursing. Imagine soldiers arriving at the owner’s invitation, raiding larders, slaughtering livestock for meat and chasing deer to their death across carefuly cultivated corn fields. All this whilst officers enjoyed dinner parties where the hospitality extended was exploited to its limits.

This turbulent interplay of war, loyalty, and survival is part of Holker’s hidden heritage.