The Royal stud at Tutbury was probably established by Henry the Eighth and continned in existence until broken up by order of Parliament in 1650. For much of this period it was probably the most important stud in England. At its peak it consisted of over 1400 acres of land made up of three of the parks of the honour of Tutbury. A survey of 1634 valued the land at near £ 500 per annum, this survey was carried out by one Mark Pearce and counter signed by John Fenwick. This was Sir John Fenwick the most noted breeder of horses of his day and Master of the Royal Studs, he was to be nominally in charge of the race at Tutbury throughout the war.

Despite its importance Tutbury race left surprisingly little documentary evidence. Most county histories of Staffordshire do not even mention it. Prior's book (see bibliography) contains most of the surviving accounts and surveys, including the final one before its break up and the orders concerning the same from the State Papers, but nothing from the period of the first civil war. Two illustrations of the operation of the stud in these years have survived . The first in the correspondence of Henry Hastings relating to mid 1644 and the second in the letter book of Sir William Brereton in Birmingham Library dating from April and May 1646.

Tutbury Castle and the surrounding area was held for the King from early in the war and was under the control of Henry Hastings Lord Loughborough. However control of the area was never completely secure and it was frequently raided by Parliamentarians from both Stafford and Derby. Despite this activity and the constant need of both sides for horse, (however suitable or unsuitable for military use they might be) the stud survived keeping up its numbers and continuing its breeding programme.

In April 1644 a new Surveyor of the race was appointed by Charles. This was George Digby an equerry to the King. His appointment was necessary as sit John Fenwick was absent in Yorkshire. However there was to be friction as it would seem that Prince Rupert had been taking an interest in the horses and had issued a warrant for some of them to be sent to him. On the 6th of April Loughborough wrote to the Prince informing him of Digby's arrival and of the fact that he, (Digby) knew nothing of Rupert's warrant. The speed of Rupert's reply and the ensuing correspondence indicate the importance with which the matter was viewed, given that Rupert was at this time in the middle of a major administrative overhaul of his command. The next letter from Loughborough is dated the 10th and was in response to Rupert's letter of the 8th. The following day Loughborough meet with Digby at Tutbury to view the horses and inform him of the Prince's commands.

Following this meeting Loughborough wrote again to the Prince as follows:

"May it please your Highness:

This enclosed will tell you what I know for the present of the enemies Actions. Yesterday I was with Mr Digbie to viewe the mares and horses within the Race which wee find very bare and out of case. For the colts I will take them upp, but conceive it not best to stirre the mares till they be scowred at grasse. Before which time I hope these parts wilbe made happy by your Highnes his presence. Uppon Tuesday God willinge I will goe about the busines you have comanded mee and doubt not but within a short tyme to satisfie your desyres."

This letter dispatched from Tutbury at 4pm on April the 12th reached Rupert at Bridgnorth at 9pm the following day. Despite the urgency with which the matter seems to have been treated it is possible that Prince Rupert never received his colts. On October 1st 1644 William Bellenden, Commissary General to the Prince, wrote to Loughborough to the following effect:

Understanding by Mr Julian, yeoman of the race to his Majesty, that you have undertaken the safe custody of all the four year-old colts for the use of Prince Rupert, to whom they belong, I have thought fit to let you know that his Highness directed a warrant to Mr Julian for two of those young horses, which he sent me. But one is a six year old surfeit jade, and the other a slender weak colt, neither fit for the purpose intended. With this bearer I have sent them back and desire you to command Julian to send any two of the largest and strongest four-year-olds."

The race does not surface again in the records until the 14th April 1646. By this time the Royalist presence in Staffordshire had been reduced to three garrisons. Tutbury castle itself was in the final stages of siege, and would be surrendered on the 20th of the month. Lichfield was strongly blockaded, and Dudley, at this point only lightly blocked up, was soon to be besieged by troops freed by the fall of Tutbury.

It was in these circumstances that George Digby addressed the following appeal to the Parliament's commander in the county Sir William Brereton:

"His Majestie was pleased neere three years since in the absence of Sr Jo: Fenwike to comand mee Surveyor of his Race at Tutbury and I have since yt severall tymes received orders to take speshall care of ye same. Ye tyme is now yt stallions must bee procured for ye performance of yt service. I shall therfore entreate you wilbe pleased to grant your tickett and safe protection for Martin Highie and Francis Lodmore yt I may send them to ye courte for 3 or 4 stallions, for a lese number will not serve ye turne for ye pressent service and yt they in not onely come safe but likewise runne with ye mares with out molestacon and at ye end of ye season bee returned according to direction. I thought fitt in discharge of my duty to acquaint you with this much not doubting of your forwardnes in a busines yt wilbe soe pleasing to his Marie and soe general a good to ye Comonwealth."

Despite the fact that at this time Oxford itself was increasingly being blocked up, Brereton granted the pass for the two men to "pass from Sandon to Oxford and thence to return within 30 dayes next ensueing with such stallions as shalbec sent for ye sayd service of Tutbury without molestacion or stopp." It was sent with the following covering letter to George Digby:

"According to your desire I have here inclosed you a pass and shalbee as ready to use my utmost intrest and power to prevent and restraine ye soldiers from comitting any injury in ye race and for yt and if any of ye officers there have occasion and repaire unto me I wilbee readie to give all possible rcliefe.."

On the 5th May the Parliamentarian Committee for the King's Revenues appointed Brereton to take charge of the Race in place of Sir John Fenwick, (ignoring the King's wartime appointment,) and asked to be sent a list of all horses an mares remaining there. A list had already been compiled at the end of April and this was presumably sent to them. The Race seems to have continued in operation another couple of years under the control of the Yeoman of the Race, Gregory Julian, who had held the position since at least 1618. On 8th June 1650 he was discharged and replaced by Major Edward Downes and the break up of the race began with the horses either being sold or presented as gifts to parliamentarian officers Apparently some efforts were made by Charles II to prevent the break up and to restart the stud after the Restoration but they came to nought.

The table below shows the strength of the stud shown in the lists of 1628, 1646 and 1649:

Horse	1628	1646	1649
Breeding mares	44	4	31
Mares 4 years old	2	10	5
Mares 3 years old	4	5	5
Mares 2 years old	-	7	7
Mares 1 year old	20	14	8
Horses 4 years and up	-	-	21
Colts 3 years old	-	11	13
Colts 2 years old	14	14	10
Colts 1 year old	7	12	14
This years foals	10	-	27
Total	101	107	141

Notes:

No lists of Royal Studs of this period include stallions on the establishment and they seem to have always been brought in from outside.

The inventory of 1649 lists individual horses with their ages, distinguishing marks and in some cases the identity of their site. This shows that breeding continued throughout the war. Stallions noted include animals belonging to Rupert and Newcastle.

Sources:

William Salt Library Stafford S.MS 550 letters Of Lord Loughborough to Prince Rupert. letters dated 6th 10th and 12th April 1644. H.M.C. 15th Report Hastings Manuscripts Vol 2 Birmingham Library 595611 Letter Book Of Sir William Brereton. folios 45, 145, 201. Prior C.M. Royal Studs of the 16th & 17th Centuries. 1935, Horse & Hound Publications.

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