During the English Civil War he was an active royalist and was captured and briefly imprisoned in Devon in early 1643. He maintained a garrison at Great Fulford until December 1645, when he surrendered to Thomas Fairfax. His eldest son Thomas was killed during the war. He was allowed to compound for his estates. Viewed with understandable suspicion by the Cromwellian regime, he lived quietly on his estates until the Restoration of Charles II.
He married Elizabeth, the daughter and co-heiress of Bernard Samways of Winterbourne St. Martin and Toller Fratrum, Dorset, with whom he had 7 sons (several of whom predeceased him) and 6 daughters. The marriage led to a lengthy lawsuit with his brother-in-law Sir Francis Ashley, who married Elizabeth's sister and co-heiress Anne. Fulford died at the age of about 80 between 7 January 1664 when he made his will and 2 May 1664 when it was proved. He was buried at Toller Fratrum.[1] His eldest son having been killed, his Devon estates passed to his grandson Francis and the Dorset estate to his younger son George.[2]