John Savage, 2nd Earl Rivers

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John Savage, 2nd Earl Rivers (b. c. 1603, d. October 10, 1654), a very rich and important man from Cheshire. John Savage, Viscount of Colchester and Earl Rivers (created 1626, extinct 1728), was a Cheshire MP from a Catholic family. He and his family owned land in Ireland and England. Oxford educated, he followed into politics and became a Member of Parliament. The Savage family were lords of the manor of Frodsham.

His Coat of Arms, argent, six Lions rampant, sable, 3.2. and 1. Savage. The family crest was a bear paw.

Earl Rivers, the Steward of Halton, lived at Halton Castle, near Runcorn. With numerous other properties Earl Rivers Family home was the great manor house of Rocksavage at Clifton near Runcorn, which was passed down through his family. Rocksavage was very similar in appearance to Brereton Hall, which was built about the same time.

In 1639/40 Earl River’s was appointed onto a committee investigating complaints against the King, however, during 1641 his allegiance swung back to Charles and in 1642 he was given the Kings' commission of Array to raise a regiment of foot in Cheshire. Savage raised most of his troops in Cheshire and some in Kent. A large force it was, but well equipped. Before the Civil War they had seen service in Europe and Ireland, so it was well trained and with experienced Officers.

Earl Rivers Regiment of Foote was there the day the King raised his standard in Nottingham and they served in almost all Major Battles there and after.

The following is from the House of Lords Journal Volume 7: 22 October 1645:

A Petition of the Earl Rivers was read, as followeth: E. Rivers's Petition, for the Composition for his Delinquency to be remitted him, on account of the great Distresses of himself and Family. "To the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled. "The humble Petition of John Earl Rivers; "Sheweth, "That he, at the Beginning of these unhappy Differences, departing into Cheshire by the Licence of the House of Peers, continued there, without acting any Thing prejudicial to the Proceedings of Parliament, until he was strictly commanded by the King to attend His Person at Yorke; at which Time the Petitioner most humbly confesseth, that, by His Majesty's special Command, he undertook the Execution of the Commission of Array for the County of Chester; and that afterwards a Regiment of Foot did voluntarily list themselves under the Petitioner's Command, for His Majesty's Service; that the Petitioner hath laid down his Arms above Two Years ago, and never acted any Thing since, either by his Person or Estate, in Opposition of Parliament: Forasmuch as the Petitioner's Real Estate, being entailed upon his Eldest Son (and at this present not worth above Nine Hundred Pounds per Annum, and in the best Times never exceeding the Yearly Value of Two Thousand Five Hundred Pounds), lieth under a Debt of Forty-five Thousand Pounds; and that his Personal Estate to the Value of Twenty Thousand Pounds is utterly wasted and destroyed; so that their Lordships cannot by any Means raise a Sum of Money for a Composition, and must needs be ruined, if his Estate be continued under Sequestration: "The Petitioner, humbly acknowledging his former Errors, and being heartily sorry for the same, and thoroughly resolved, by God's Assistance, never to commit the like Offences again; humbly craves, that his past Sufferings and Losses may, in their Lordships favourable Regard, go in Lieu of Satisfaction for his former Offences; and that the Honourable Houses, taking him into their own Hands, will be pleased so to commiserate his Condition, and extend their Favours, that himself and Family may be preserved from Ruin, who are otherwise so near it, even for Want of ordinary Necessaries, as he is unwilling to express."

When rivers returned to Cheshire he appointed Holton castle under the command of captain walter primrose, which he fortified, however it fell to two parliamentary sieges, the first led by Sir William Brereton in 1643. The Parliamentarians held the castle for a while but then, hearing of the approach of superior Royalist forces led by Prince Rupert, they abandoned it.

However as the fortunes of the Royalists declined they in turn withdrew from Halton and the Parliamentarians occupied the castle once again. With Halton castle under parliament control, and with Earls house (rock savage) being in ruins, Earl rivers retired to the castle at Frodsham were he and his estate had no other part in the civil war.

In 1646 a "Council of War" was held in Warrington where it was decided that the defenses of the castles were to be dismantled. In time this was achieved and Halton castle was to have no further military function. All the possessions at the castle belonging to the Earl were stripped and sold.

Access today to Halton Castle is through the public house which has been built across the moat. The ruins of this Castle can regularly be seen in the opening credits of the BBC Comedy "Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps".

Earl Rivers carried on living at Frodsham castle were he was stripped of the family honours and estates and this is were he died on 10th October 1654. A few hours after his death with his body lying within the castle the Castle was set on fire and burned down. It was completely destroyed. No doubt this fire was intended as the Earl's funeral pyre, it was only with great difficulty that the body was rescued, later to be buried privately two days later in a simple ceremony at Macclesfield.