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…
Every Hallowe’en, the internet is awash with stories of the ‘witches’ and witch-finders of the 17th Century. But although Matthew Hopkins, the notorious ‘Witchfinder General’ is undoubtedly the most famous witch-hunter, he was by no means alone. The practice of ‘witch-finding’ was relatively rare in England and most accusations of witchcraft would have been dealt…
DetailsHistory has made Matthew Hopkins something of a boogeyman. Helped in no small part by folktales, books, TV shows and films, including the 1968 Witchfinder General starring Vincent Price, he has become a symbol of the archaic past, of the madness of religious zealotry and of superstition. But who was Matthew Hopkins, more commonly known…
DetailsThe church of All Saints in Middle Claydon, nestled in the Buckinghamshire countryside, is filled with tributes to the Verney family who were intimately involved in and affected by the Civil War. It was the perfect setting for two of the Sealed Knot’s preachers to bring the words of two contemporary 17th Century preachers back to…
DetailsWith its formidable walls looking down on the former county town of Lancashire, what part did Lancaster Castle play in the English Civil War? The 17th Century poet and biographer Lucy Hutchinson once said “every county has a civil war, more or less, within itself” – and that is certainly true in Lancashire. Like many…
DetailsStorming the walls of Bolton! Well we couldn’t stop Bolton being overrun by the Royalists, but under the blazing heat we put up a damn good fight – and hundreds of people stood there and watched us! The Storming of Bolton took place last weekend at Bolton School and proved to be a huge success!…
DetailsMeet a face of Manchester’s: Pikeman Ian We spend our summers battling as a team and spending time as a family – but who are the people who make up the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote? We’re delighted to introduce you to a face of our regiment using some of their favourite photos, as…
DetailsMeet a face of Manchester’s: Drummer Amber We spend our summers battling as a team and spending time as a family – but who are the people who make up the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote? We’re delighted to introduce you to a face of our regiment using some of their favourite photos, as…
DetailsOver on Twitter we asked if there were any questions people would like answered about history, politics, and society during the English Civil Wars. Cassandra Clark asked whether anyone who signed Charles I’s death warrant in 1649 escaped the vengeance of his son after the Restoration in 1660? Thanks for the great question, Cassandra! On…
DetailsToday marks 369 years since the execution of Charles Stuart, king of England, Scotland and Ireland, on a scaffold built next to the Banqueting Hall at Whitehall in London. He was, to all intents and purposes, to be executed in the street. He was surrounded by large numbers of soldiers, who faced the crowd rather…
DetailsThe English Civil War was one of the most turbulent periods of British history. Between 1642 and 1651, the population of the British Isles would suffer a proportionally greater loss of life than it did during the First World War and the nine years of war would result in the deaths of over a quarter…
DetailsFrom continental wars and revolutions to major advances in science and political ideas, the upheaval and conflict of the 17th Century produced many stories that filmmakers have attempted to retell on the big and small screen. While ancient Rome and Edwardian country manors have always been more popular settings with audiences, the era of Cavaliers…
DetailsToday marks 368 years since the execution of Charles Stuart, king of England, Scotland and Ireland, on a scaffold built next to the Banqueting Hall at Whitehall in London. Surrounded by large numbers of soldiers, who faced the crowd rather than the scaffold, he addressed his last speech, uttered in a quiet voice, to Colonel Tomlinson…
DetailsWe take part in events across the country, from small historical encampments to huge battles with musket, pike, cannon and cavalry – come along to meet the soldiers and civilians, and experience life during the tumultuous 17th Century! We’ve got a really exciting 2026 lined up, with events across England and Wales – and with…
DetailsBorn in Norfolk in 1625, Myngs joined the navy shortly before the outbreak of the English Civil War and, siding with Parliament, he rapidly rose through the ranks. He first appeared prominently during the first Anglo Dutch War (1652-1654) as captain of the Elisabeth when he captured a Dutch convoy, including two men-of-war taken as…
DetailsWe spotted a great article recently from BBC History Magazine about “10 great misconceptions about the English Civil War” Common mistakes it seeks to correct include the ideas that the Civil War broke out by accident (wrong), Cavaliers were aristocrats while Roundheads were yeomen (wrong), Cromwell won the war for parliament (wrong) and that it was only…
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