Sir Richard Walsh was an English politician who served as

High Sheriff of Worcestershire This is a list of sheriffs and since 1998 high sheriffs of Worcestershire. The High Sheriff, Sheriff is the oldest Secularity, secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but ove ...

and is noted for his role in defeating

Robert Catesby Robert Catesby ( – 8 November 1605) was the leader of a group of English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Born in Warwickshire, Catesby was educated at Oxford University. His family were prominent recusant Catholics, a ...

's remaining followers at

Holbeche House Holbeche House (also, in some texts, Holbeach or Holbeache) is a mansion located approximately north of Kingswinford, now in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley but historically in Staffordshire.Aikin, L. p.244 Some members of the Gunpowder Plo ...

following the failure of the

Gunpowder Plot The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was an unsuccessful attempted regicide against James VI and I, King James VI of Scotland and I of England by a group of English ...

. He came from

Shelsley Walsh Shelsley Walsh is a small village and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, on the western side of the River Teme. For administrative purposes it is presently located in the Teme Valley ward of the county’s Malvern Hills district. In the 20 ...

Gunpowder Plot

After

Guy Fawkes Guy Fawkes (; 13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606), also known as Guido Fawkes while fighting for the Spanish, was a member of a group of provincial English Catholics involved in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. He was born and educate ...

was captured in the basement of the Houses of Parliament, many of his fellow plotters, under the leadership of

, fled to the Midlands. Walsh and his 200-strong force of Worcestershire Trained Bands began following the conspirators after they entered

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...

and caught up with them at

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...

on 8 November. Among those in Walsh's force was John Streete, the noted marksman from Worcester, who at one point killed two plotters with a single shot. The conspirators made two major errors: they got their gunpowder wet and then tried to dry it in front of the fire, causing it to blow up. Walsh invited the conspirators to surrender, and upon their refusal ordered an assault of the building. All of the conspirators were either captured or killed. Catesby was killed, as were

John and Christopher Wright John (Jack) Wright (January 1568 – 8 November 1605), and Christopher (Kit) Wright (1570? – 8 November 1605), were members of the group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a conspiracy to assassin ...

and Thomas Percy, but Ambrose Rookwood was captured alive and later held in Worcester gaol.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walsh, Richard (English politician) People associated with the Gunpowder Plot 16th-century English politicians 17th-century English politicians High sheriffs of Worcestershire Politicians from Worcestershire Worcestershire Militia officers