| Day | Date (Julian Callender) | Charles' movements and related action | Sleeps overnight at: | Principal assistance provided by: | Chapters (miles) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 September 1651 | After the Royalist forces were defeated at the Battle of Worcester, Charles (who watched much of from the Cathedral tower) escaped from the City and rode north with a group of officers through Hartlebury. At Kinver, they regrouped and agreed a plan to try to cross into Wales and then sail to France. Charles Giffard, a recusant riding with Charles, suggested Boscobel House, owned by his family, as a good overnight resting place, but Whites Ladies, one mile away on the same estate, was decided to be better as it was more remote. | No sleep | 1. Lord Derby - Officer, accompanies Charles before riding off with most of the party towards Scotland. Was captured and executed. 2. Francis Yates - a servant, acted as guide through the later part of the day's journey; he was subsequently executed by Cromwell for his part in the escape. 3. Lord Wilmot - Officer, stayed with Charles; he was to assist him throughout the journey 4. Robert Swan - manservant to Wilmot 5. Charles Giffard - Officer, a prominent recusant, was the owner of White Ladies and Boscobel House | 1-7 (60) |
| 2 | 4 September 1651 | He arrived at White Ladies in early hours of the morning with Lord Wilmott, his key ally throughout the escape, and received considerable assistance from the Penderel family Charles hid in woods at Spring Coppice during day and at night walked to Madeley Court disguised as woodsman, with Richard Penderel, intent on crossing the Severn. On the way, there was a meal at Hobbal Grange and a fracas with a miller at Evelith Mill. | Spring Coppice, by White Ladies Priory (daytime) | 6. John Penderel - woodsman at White Ladies 7. George Penderel - servant at White Ladies 8. Richard Penderel - tenant at Hubbal Grange 9. William Penderel - caretaker at Boscobel 10. Jane Penderel - wife of William 11. Humphrey Penderel - miller at White Ladies | 8 (11) |
| 3 | 5 September 1651 | Royalists, Wolfe and Everel scout the Severn and conclude it is impassable owing to the presence of Cromwell's troops. Charles hid in barn at Madeley during day and at night walked back to Boscobel House. | Madeley Barn (daytime) | 12. Francis Wolfe - owner of Madeley Court, provided a meal and the barn for shelter. 13. Richard Everel - servant at Madeley Court | 9-10 (21) |
| 4 | 6 September 1651 | Charles spent the day in the famous pollarded oak tree at Boscoble supported by Major Careless and then the evening in a priest hole. | Boscobel | 14. Major William Careless - had fought at Worcester, was with Charles in the tree | |
| 5 | 7 September 1651 | Charles rode to Moseley Old Hall at 2:00am with Careless and the Penderel brothers. At Penderford Mill, three brothers returned home with the horses and the other two continued to the Hall on foot. | Moseley Old Hall | 11 (12) |
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| 6 | 8 September 1651 | At Moseley Old Hall, Charles hid briefly in priest hole during day. | Moseley Old Hall | 15. Thomas Whitgreave - owner of Moseley Old Hall 16. Father John Huddleston - Chaplin at Moseley Old Hall, provided spiritual guidance and bathed Charles' feet. | |
| 7 | 9 September 1651 | Charles started out in early hours and travelled to Bentley Hall, home of Colonel Lane and his sister Jane. | Bentley Hall | 17. Colonel Lane - owner of Bentley Hall | 12 (9) |
| 8 | 10 September 1651 | Charles left Bentley, in the guise of a servant called Will Jackson, heading for Abbots Leigh, near Bristol, with Lord Wilmot and Jane Lane. His horse is re-shod at Bromsgrove and later there is a detour to avoid troops just outside Stratford. Overnight stay at Kings Lodge, Long Marsden, just beyond Stratford. | King's Lodge | 18. Jane Lane - the Colonel's sister, accompanied Charles to Abbot's Leigh, riding pillion 19. Henry Lascelles - the Colonel's cousin, also accompanied Charles | 13-19 (71) |
| 9 | 11 September 1651 | They travelled on, an apparently uneventful journey to Cirencester, staying overnight at an inn. | The Fleece (possible) | 20-24 (53) |
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| 10 | 12 September 1651 | Arrived at Abbots Leigh, near Bristol and stayed at the grand Norton Court (now demolished). The Nortons, who were the owners of Leigh Court, did not penetrate Charles' disguise. | Norton Court | 20. John Pope - Butler at Leigh Court, recognised Charles and then worked to assist him | 25-30 (59) |
| 11 | 13 September 1651 | At Norton Court, Pope, the butler was occupied looking for opportunities to sail from Bristol. | Norton Court | ||
| 12 | 14 September 1651 | At Norton Court. | Norton Court | ||
| 13 | 15 September 1651 | At Norton Court - Pope established no boats can be taken from Bristol and suggested the South Coast as a better place to find a passage to France. He also suggested Trent Manor as a place to stay, where the owner, Colonel Wyndham, was a Royalist sympathiser known to Charles. | Norton Court | ||
| 14 | 16 September 1651 | Charles set out from Norton Court heading for Trent, with Lascelles and Jane Lane. Wilmot rode on ahead to Trent Manor to make arrangements. Overnight near Castle Cary. | Manor House or the Old House | 31-34 (39) |
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| 15 | 17 September 1651 | To Trent, stayed at Trent Manor, home of Colonel Francis Wyndham. | Trent Manor | 21. Colonel Francis Wyndham - owner of Trent Manor 22. Mrs Anne Wyndham (ne Gerard) - wife of the Colonel, heiress to Trent manor | 35-36 (15) |
| 16 | 18 September 1651 | At Trent Manor. | Trent Manor | ||
| 17 | 19 September 1651 | At Trent Manor. Wilmot contacted Ellesdon, a merchant in Lyme, who arranged for one of his tenants, Limbry, to take Charles to France from Charmouth, near Lyme Regis, on his small coasting vessel. | Trent Manor | 23. Captain Ellisdon - merchant 24. Stephen Limbry - Boatman, may not have known Charles true identity, but probably suspected | |
| 18 | 20 September 1651 | At Trent Manor. | Trent Manor | ||
| 19 | 21 September 1651 | At Trent Manor. | Trent Manor | ||
| 20 | 22 September 1651 | Rode to Charmouth and waited at Queen's Arms. The cover story for booking rooms at the Inn was that they were a runaway honeymoon party - Wilmot was the groom, Wyndham's cousin Juliana Coningsby the bride and Charles the manservant. Peters and Wyndham also present. | The Queen's Arms | 25. Juliana Coningsby - cousin of Wyndham - accompanies the party to Charmouth 26. Henry Peters - Wyndham servant | 37-40 (39) |
| 21 | 23 September 1651 | Limbry failed to turn up. It seems, his wife had worked out that his business was risky and she prevented him from leaving the house; or perhaps, Limbry hadn't been paid. Next morning, the King set out for Bridport, where he took a room at the George Inn. Meanwhile, the ostler at the Queen's Arms (Benjamin Westley) had rumbled Charles and had alerted the authorities to his presence in the vicinity. The party headed back to Trent via the remote Lee Lane but got lost and took refuge at the George Inn in Broadwindsor. | George Inn, Broad Windsor | 27. Landlord at George Inn | 41-45 (48) |
| 22 | 24 September 1651 | A new strategy was developed. At daybreak, Wilmot rode to Salisbury to plan a passage from somewhere other than Dorset while Charles, Juliana Coningsby, and Colonel Wyndham returned to Trent Manor. | Trent Manor | ||
| 23 - 33 | 25 September 1651 - 5 October 1651 | Charles remained at Trent Manor for eleven more days, occasionally using the priest hole when troops were in the area. A famous quotation from Anne Wyndham's diaries is: "Trent, the ark in which God shut him up when the floods of rebellion had covered the face of his dominions." Meanwhile, in Salisbury, Wilmot, helped by John Coventry and Robert Phelips, made arrangements for Charles to be taken to Heale House, Middle Winterslow, closer to Sussex, where it looked likely that a passage to France could more easily be arranged. | Trent Manor (11 nights, 17 in all) | 28. Colonel Robert Phelips - Royalist 29. Lord John Coventry - Royalist | |
| 34 | 6 October 1651 | Left Trent again, dined at George Inn, Mere and travelled on to Heale House, home of Mrs Hyde. | Heale House | 30. Katherine Hyde, owner of Heale House | 46-51 (47) |
| 35 | 7 October 1651 | The King pretended to leave permanently, visited Stonehenge, and returned known only to Mrs Hyde. | Heale House | ||
| 36 - 40 | 8 October 1651 - 12 October 1651 | The King continued at Heale House, hidden in a back room. Meanwhile, Wilmot visited a Royalist, (Gunter), who conferred with a French merchant (Mancel) in Chichester. Together they made arrangements with a Sea Captain (Tattessell) to transport the King from Shoreham to France in a coal boat called The Surprise. | Heale House (5 nights, 7 in all) | 31. Colonel Thomas Gunter - Royalist 32. Francis Mancell - merchant 33. Captain Nicholas Tattessell - Captain of The Surprise | |
| 41 | 13 October 1651 | Left Heale at 2:00am with Phelips. Re-joined Wilmot, Swan and Gunter at Old Winchester Hill and travelled on to Hambledon where he stayed with Gunter's sister, Mrs Symons. | Bury Lodge, near cottage now named King's Rest | 34. Mrs Ursula Symons - Colonel Gunter's sister | 52-57 (60) |
| 42 | 14 October 1651 | Travelled to Brighton, pausing at Houghton. While riding near Bramber bridge he came across a group of soldiers; Charles diverted and arrived at the George Inn, Brighton in the evening where the party has supper with Tattessell and Mancel. Charles was recognised and an additional fee paid. | George Inn, Brighton | 58-63 (62) |
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| 43 | 15 October 1651 | To Shoreham, boarded at 2:00am, sailed 7:00am. Landed at Fcamp, France on the morning of 16 October. Tattessell subsequently bought the Old Ship Inn with his fee for services rendered. | On board | 35. Richard Kemp - mate of The Surprise | 64 (5) |