In 1654, the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell and a small circle of his closest supporters, secretly conceived a bold – but some would say, foolhardy – plan to conquer Spain’s colonies in the Caribbean. This became known as ‘the Western Design’. To achieve this goal a large force combining the army and the navy, set ... Read more

The tumultuous revolutionary decade between 1649 and 1660 is often portrayed through discussions of battles, political and religious conflicts and consequent death and disease. But in her recent book, which is now available in paperback, Republic, Professor Alice Hunt of the University of Southampton, shows that it was also a decade of exciting new ideas and innovations ... Read more

During the First Civil War, Cornwall remained a key royalist stronghold until a series of defeats culminated in the surrender of Cornish forces to Fairfax’s New Model Army in the spring and summer of 1646. But why was Cornwall so staunch in its support of the monarchy, even after much of the rest of England ... Read more

In this ongoing series of specially commissioned programmes for the World Turned Upside Down, Peter Gaunt, Professor of History at the University of Chester and author of the acclaimed The English Civil War: A Military History, discusses some of the pivotal battles fought during the conflict. As Professor Gaunt says in this programme the south-west of England ... Read more

In 1645, the military history of the civil wars was transformed by reorganisation of the Parliamentarian forces to form the New Model Army. The impact of this army on the course of the wars became apparent with their growing dominance in the field during the second half of that year. This well-trained and effectively-led force ... Read more

In this ongoing series of specially commissioned programmes for the World Turned Upside Down, Peter Gaunt, Professor of History at the University of Chester and author of the acclaimed The English Civil War: A Military History, discusses some of the pivotal battles fought during the conflict. In this programme he explores the second battle of Newbury fought ... Read more

1644 proved to be a pivotal year in the military history of the civil wars. While at the end of 1643 Royalist forces were predominant over much of England and Wales. the situation was about to change dramatically.  Intervention by a Scottish army shifted the balance of power in favour of Parliament and in the ... Read more

A bonus programme by Professor Peter Gaunt, Professor of History at the University of Chester describes the first pitched battle of the British and Irish civil wars fought by the two field armies. Both sides were left shocked by the extent of the casualties in a battle that only lasted for about 2 1/2 hours ... Read more

In the second part of this landmark series – specially commissioned for The World Turned Upside Down –  exploring the military history of the British and Irish civil wars, distinguished historian Peter Gaunt, Professor of History at the University of Chester begins to trace the chronology of the conflict. The story starts with the raising of the ... Read more

John Bradshawe (1602 – 1659) is one of the most famous – or depending on your view “notorious” figures of the period. Some remember him as the traitorous judge who sentenced his monarch – King Charles I – to death after presiding over a “show trial”.  Others consider that Bradshawe was a skilled lawyer who ... Read more