1642 5th July
Committee of Safety Appointment
Waller joins the committee responsible for Parliament's military direction.
English Civil War · permanent subject timeline
William Waller
Parliamentarian general active in southern and western England. This page combines historical context with 23 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database English Civil War archive.
Historical context
William Waller: overview and significance
What happened?
William Waller commanded Parliamentarian forces in a series of campaigns across southern and western England during the First Civil War.
Why was it important?
Waller's career illustrates the regional army system that preceded the New Model Army and the military pressures that encouraged Parliament to reorganise command in 1645.
World History Database records
William Waller timeline
The records below are selected from the 1,090-record English Civil War archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1642
1642 7th September
Capture of Portsmouth
Waller receives the surrender of Portsmouth after Parliamentarian land and naval pressure.
1642 September
Siege of Portsmouth
Waller directs Parliamentarian forces besieging the Royalist garrison.
1643
1643 23rd March
Battle of Highnam
Routs the Royalist force of Lord Herbert
1643 March
Capture of Bristol
Sets up his HQ in Bristol
1643 13th April
Battle of Ripple Field
Driven back by Prince Maurice to Tewkesbury
1643 5th July
Battle of Lansdown
Defeated by the Royalists under Hopton
1643 13th July
Battle of Roundway Down
Defeated by the Royalists under Lord Wilmot. Defeat by the Royalists under the Earl of Rochester
1643 July
Capture of Bath
Forced to evacuate Bath after being defeated by the Royalists at Lansdown
1643 4th November
Southern Association Command
Parliament places Waller over an association of southern counties and authorises forces to serve under his command.
1643 13th December
Storming of Alton
Waller defeats the Royalist garrison at Alton and takes numerous prisoners during the winter campaign in Hampshire.
1643
Capture of Gloucester
The Governor of Gloucester hands it over to Waller
1643
Invasion of Wales
Advances into Monmouthshire
1643
Major General
Appointed Major General
1644
1644 6th January
Capture of Arundel Castle
Waller receives the surrender of Arundel Castle, checking Royalist attempts to penetrate Sussex and Kent.
1644 29th March
Victory at Cheriton
Waller defeats Hopton's Royalist army at Cheriton and gains control of much of Hampshire for Parliament.
1644 May
Advance on Oxford
Waller advances against Oxford from the south while Parliamentarian armies attempt to trap the King's field force.
1644 29th June
Battle of Cropredy Bridge
Waller attacks across the Cherwell at Cropredy Bridge but is driven back and loses artillery to the Royalists.
1644 2nd July
Rebellion
Writes complaining of the rebellion of the City Brigades
1644 27th October
Second Battle of Newbury
Waller shares command in the Parliamentarian attack at Second Newbury and later argues for stronger pursuit of the King.
1644
Battle of Cheriton
Prevents the advance of Royalists under Sir Ralph Hopton
1644
Siege of Alton
Captures Alton for the Parliamentarians
1645
1645
Dismissal
Relieved of command by the Self-Denying Ordinance
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database English Civil War records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
English Heritage · National Army Museum · UK Parliament · Cromwell Museum
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