John Birch (soldier)

Colonel John Birch (September 7, 1615 – May 10, 1691) was a soldier in the English civil war and later Member of parliament for Leominster and Weobley, Herefordshire.

Birch played a significant role in the battle of Cropredy Bridge, Oxfordshire on June 29, 1644.

On December 18, 1645, Parliamentarians under the command of Birch and Colonel Morgan captured the City of Hereford.

In 1646 Birch besieged and captured Goodrich Castle from the Royalist Sir Henry Lingen.

Birch is buried in a monumental tomb in Weobley Church.

One of the regiments of the Sealed Knot historical reenactment association is Col. John Birch's Regiment.

External links

• Brief history of the Life of John Birch (up to the start of his political career)
• Biography on British Civil Wars site
• Battle of Cropredy Bridge
• House of Commons Journal for December 22, 1645 recording the arrival of news of the capture of Hereford
• References to Col Birch in The Diary of Samuel Pepys
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

Parliament of England
Preceded by Unknown	Leominster (UK Parliament constituency) 1660–1661 With: Edward Pytts	Succeeded by Ranald Grahme Humphrey Cornewall
Preceded by John Barneby William Gregory	Weobley (UK Parliament constituency) 1679–1685 With: William Gregory 1679 John Booth 1679-1685	Succeeded by Robert Price Henry Cornewall
Preceded by Robert Price Henry Cornewall	Weobley (UK Parliament constituency) 1689–1691 With: James Morgan 1689-1690 Robert Price 1690-1691	Succeeded by Thomas Foley Robert Price