▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Country ▁At ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁English ▁Civil ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 6 4 2 , ▁Dor set ▁was ▁divided ▁in ▁its ▁lo y alt ies ; ▁broad ly ▁speaking , ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁county ▁and ▁the ▁larger ▁towns ▁fav oured ▁the ▁Parliament ari ans , ▁while ▁those ▁in ▁the ▁coun tr ys ide ▁and ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁county ▁were ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁Royal ist ▁cause . ▁Sir ▁Walter ▁Er le , ▁a ▁local ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁with ▁strong ▁Cal vin ist ▁views , ▁secured ▁the ▁ports ▁of ▁We ym outh , ▁L yme ▁Reg is ▁and ▁W are ham , ▁along ▁with ▁Port land ▁Castle , ▁for ▁the ▁Parliament ari ans ▁during ▁the ▁build - up ▁to ▁the ▁fighting . ▁Dor set ▁was ▁a ▁relatively ▁incon sequ ential ▁county ▁of ▁itself ; ▁it ▁had ▁no ▁large ▁cities , ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁significant ▁industry , ▁and ▁though ▁it ▁had ▁the ▁a for ement ioned ▁ports , ▁none ▁were ▁major ▁naval ▁or ▁trad ing ▁bases . ▁The ▁fighting ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Country ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁having ▁" dis pro port ion ate ▁significance ", ▁and ▁arm ies ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁travel led ▁through ▁Dor set ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁main ▁areas ▁of ▁fighting ▁around ▁Dev on , ▁fighting ▁and ▁pl und ering ▁as ▁they ▁did ▁so . ▁ ▁Control ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁Country ▁fl uct u ated . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 6 4 3 , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁under ▁Royal ist