Follow our blog for up-to-date information on our events, discover more about the fascinating history of the English Civil Wars, and get the chance to meet some of our members…
Much like their more famous ‘war on Christmas’, some hardline Puritans of the early 17th Century also had Easter in their sights. It has been said that the transformation of Easter into a secular festival second only to Christmas has accelerated in recent years. With the long weekend affording many families the chance to come…
DetailsIt is almost an understatement to say that the 1640s and ‘50s saw some of the most radical political movements in British history. From the Levellers to the Diggers, from Quakers to Muggletonians, a massive proliferation of radical ideas erupted as the old institutions of government broke down. In the chaos of war and political…
DetailsCannon will fire, drums will sound, and swords will clash as the English Civil War returns to Bolton in a fantastic FREE event THIS WEEKEND! Roundheads and Cavaliers will descend on Bolton School on 7-8 July for ‘The Storming of Bolton’ – an exciting weekend of thrilling battles and fascinating ‘living history’! Staged by The Earl of…
DetailsThe Poet MP and the Plot Against Parliament London, 1643 – a city under threat, a resurgent enemy, dangers around every corner. And a poet, engaged by a king to lead a plot to restore him to his throne… The year 1643 would prove to be the ‘high water mark’ of the Royalist cause in…
DetailsFollow The Storming of Bolton event page on Facebook >> Cannon will fire, drums will sound, and swords will clash as schoolchildren from across Bolton get the chance to go back in time to the English Civil War – thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. A new project will see special education…
DetailsOver on Twitter we asked if there were any questions people would like answered about history, politics, and society during the English Civil Wars. Meaghan Brown (@EpistolaryBrown) asked about the oft-repeated line about Oliver Cromwell banning mince pies as part of the Puritan ‘war on Christmas’ in the 1640s and ’50s. Thanks for the great…
DetailsDid you watch us re-enact the English Civil War in Nantwich? Just think – YOU could join us as we bring history to life across the country, camping in some of the most spectacular locations in England, Scotland, and Wales, having great fun afterwards by socialising around the campfire or down the beer tent, and making…
DetailsIt was a minor battle of the first English Civil War, but how did the relief of the besieged Cheshire town of Nantwich in 1644 set in motion events that would lead to the restoration of the monarchy? Following a year of setbacks, the victory of their forces at Nantwich on 25 January 1644 was…
DetailsNantwich is a pleasant little town just outside of Crewe, famed for its old buildings and once a prosperous salt-producing and coaching centre. But for one day every January, the town plays host to hundreds of re-enactors who march through the town to commemorate the lifting of the Siege of Nantwich in 1644. After parading…
DetailsTurnham Green is a public park, around seven miles from the centre of London. With its George Gilbert Scott-designed church, war memorial, and old Town Hall, it’s typical of the capital’s civic green spaces. But 375 years ago today, it played host to a stand-off that helped change the course of British history. After the…
DetailsAlmost 375 years to the day since Manchester witnessed the first casualty of the English Civil War, the conflict is to be brought to life in Chadderton. Foxdenton Park in Chadderton will go back in time to the 17th Century this weekend as The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote, part of the Sealed Knot…
DetailsChoose your side this Spring Bank Holiday weekend as we celebrate the 375th anniversary of the start of the English Civil War! Amidst the glorious setting of Charlton Park, the Sealed Knot will bring this pivotal moment to life with a living history encampment across the weekend, plus dramatic cameos commemorating the history of the…
DetailsFancy stepping back in time to one of the most tumultuous periods in British history? Do you want to hear drums call ranks of musketeers and pikemen to order, cannons roaring besides them as preachers and officers exhort them into battle? Do you want to see how life was lived by ordinary people during the 17th Century? We have…
DetailsOn 23 April 1642, a herald appeared at the gates in the fortifications of Hull that led to the road to nearby Beverley. He called on the governor, Sir John Hotham, to open the gates and admit the King, Charles Stuart, who was nearby with 300 troops. Hull was a strategic port and site of an…
DetailsIt’s safe to say that Prince Rupert of the Rhine is one of the unique characters of the 1640s and 1650s. With his long hair, youthful looks, and dashing deeds not only was he the archetypal “Cavalier” but more than 360 years ago he concocted one of his boldest plots in one of the strangest moments of the English…
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