Northumberland in the British Civil Wars

This month’s local history focus is Northumberland and we’re kicking things off with a look at the county during the British Civil Wars. Dr David Scott, senior research fellow in our Commons 1640-1660 project, explores the county torn between Scotland to the North and the rest of England to the South. Northumberland in the eyes of Stuart England’s not-so-liberal elite was one of ‘the dark … Continue reading Northumberland in the British Civil Wars

Introducing…our new Director

Today’s blog is the first from Stephen Roberts in his new position as Director of the History of Parliament… It is a privilege to be taking over as Director of the History of Parliament, which has for many decades now been one of the UK’s leading historical research organisations, and which is currently engaged in a range of projects, some of long standing and others … Continue reading Introducing…our new Director

Parliament, the French church and ‘illegal’ worship

Following the recent publication of her edited volume ‘Huguenot Networks’, Dr Vivienne Larminie, Senior Research Fellow in the Commons 1640-60 Section, discusses how the Huguenot French church in Westminster offered MPs and peers an opportunity to breach their own legislation during the civil wars and interregnum… Following the Reformation, the government, discipline, doctrine and worship of the Church of England were defined by parliamentary legislation.  … Continue reading Parliament, the French church and ‘illegal’ worship

Reporting Parliament: Invasion scare in Sandwich?

In today’s ‘Reporting Parliament’ series for Parliament Week 2017, Dr Vivienne Larminie, Senior Research Fellow in the Commons 1640-60 Section, discusses the problem of ‘fake news’ during the Civil Wars… The concern of Parliament with the destabilising potential of false news was of long standing, but the advent of civil war in the 1640s provided special reasons to be vigilant against the dissemination of erroneous, … Continue reading Reporting Parliament: Invasion scare in Sandwich?

The ‘Story of Parliament’: Civil War leaders

Earlier this year the History published ‘The Story of Parliament: Celebrating 750 years of parliament in Britain’ to mark the anniversary of Simon de Montfort’s parliament in 1265. The book is a brief introduction to the full 750 years of parliamentary history, aimed at the general reader, and available to purchase from the Houses of Parliament bookshop.  On this blog we are publishing some tasters … Continue reading The ‘Story of Parliament’: Civil War leaders