30Jul
Cromwell on Film
Speaker: Dr David Smith Dr David Smith is a noted historian at Selwyn College, University of Cambridge, specialising in early modern British history, particularly the political, constitutional, legal and religious developments of the Stuart period. He is the author or co-author of eight books, the editor or co-editor of a further seven, and has published more than seventy essays and articles. Dr Smith read History at Selwyn College, Cambridge, before completing his PhD under the supervision of Professor John Morrill. He became a Research Fellow at Selwyn in 1988 and was appointed Teaching Fellow and Director of Studies in History in 1992. In 2024 he was made a College Associate Professor. Alongside his academic work, Dr Smith has also been involved in discussions exploring how Oliver Cromwell has been portrayed on screen. These talks examine the different ways Cromwell has been represented in film and television, and how these portrayals reflect changing perceptions of his legacy. Some of these events have been delivered online via Zoom, allowing a wider audience to take part.
27Aug
The Hartlebury Dig
Speaker: Tim Cornah Hartlebury Castle and Village at War: New Archaeological Discoveries and Untold Civil War Stories Join archaeologist Tim Cornah for a fascinating journey into one of Worcestershire’s most overlooked Civil War sites, revealing remarkable new discoveries that are rewriting the story of Hartlebury Castle during the turbulent years of the 1640s. The story began during the summer drought of 2022 when drone photography revealed a mysterious crop mark on high ground east of Hartlebury Castle. Initial investigation suggested it could be a Civil War earthwork. Excavations in 2023 confirmed the exciting suspicion: the feature was a previously unknown Royalist bastion – the first confirmed defensive work associated with the castle’s recorded Civil War garrison. Further archaeological excavations in 2024 uncovered significant new evidence about the bastion’s design and construction, including the intriguing remains of what appears to have been a circular timber firing step or walkway outside the ditch – a feature for which archaeologists currently know of no direct parallel. But the archaeology is only half the story. Recently a newly discovered contemporary document has shed extraordinary new light on Hartlebury’s Civil War history. Providing rare insights into the lives of villagers caught up in the conflict, it also points to the existence of siege works that may once have faced the newly discovered bastion. For the first time, archaeology and original historical research are brought together to reveal a vivid picture of Hartlebury Castle and village at war. From newly uncovered fortifications to the experiences of local people living through siege and occupation, this talk offers a unique opportunity to discover how fresh evidence is transforming our understanding of a key Worcestershire Civil War site. Whether you are interested in archaeology, local history, or the English Civil War, this promises to be an evening of exciting discoveries, new interpretations, and stories hidden for nearly 400 years
24Sep
Turncoat – Roundhead to Royalist, the double life of Cromwell’s spy
Speaker: Dennis Sewell Dennis Sewell is a writer, broadcaster and a contributing editor of the Spectator. He spent twenty-two years on the staff of BBC News. George Downing was one of the English Civil War’s most cunning spies. As Oliver Cromwell’s head of military intelligence, he forged a career as a politician and diplomat, bribing, blackmailing and browbeating his way to success, before spectacularly betraying his friends by defecting to the Royalist camp.
29Oct
Three Worcester Murders
Speaker: Robbie Porter Details to follow
26Nov
The Benedictine Monks of Worcester
Speaker: Howard Robinson Details to follow
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