The English Civil War will be brought to life through a series of workshops delivered by a University of Worcester historian.
Professor Darren Oldridge with one of the 17th century books at the Worcestershire Archives
Professor of Early Modern History, Darren Oldridge, is holding a series of interactive ‘hands-on’ sessions with the chance to turn the pages of books and pamphlets published in the age of the English Civil War. The first event, which is already sold-out, will take place at The Hive this weekend as part of celebrations for The Hive’s 10th birthday, with further sessions being planned at The Commandery from October.
Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service, based at The Hive, has some 400 books and pamphlets in its archive collection from the period. Professor Oldridge has selected a combination of political, historical and religious texts published during the Civil Wars or either side of the 17th century conflict. They explore a range of themes: views on the afterlife and the resurrection of the dead, attitudes towards the devil, and politics and philosophy. He will be revealing some of the secrets that lie within these texts and the context in which they were written. Some of the arguments presented demonstrate the collision of beliefs between the two sides that emerged in the Civil War between the Roundheads (or parliamentarians) and Cavaliers (or royalists).
Texts on offer at The Hive event, titled ‘Heaven, Hell, and the English Civil War: Treasures from the Stuart Collection’, include puritan William Prynne writing in 1636, Robert Filmer, a conservative political thinker published in 1680, and the radical political philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, published in 1651. Some of these volumes are then to be loaned to The Commandery to tie in with further interactive talks.
Professor Oldridge said this was an interesting time for writing. “The government’s control on publications collapsed,” he said. “In the 1640s censorship effectively ended, far more titles were published and more diverse opinions went into circulation.
“Some very radical thinkers like Hobbes emerged, as well as extremely conservative writers like Filmer. There was a war of ideas as well as a military conflict. The Civil Wars unleashed a chaos of ideas, and these texts illustrate the cultural and political differences between the two sides.”
Professor Oldridge is keen to gauge his audience’s reaction to having these old texts in their hands, as part of a wider piece of research he has been working on. A professional conservator is involved to ensure appropriate care and attention is paid to the material.
“I think if you hold a book in your hands and turn its pages, it brings the past to life in an extraordinary way,” said Professor Oldridge. “It can be an eerie feeling to touch an object from that time, and to interact with words printed 350 years ago. It makes the past seem less remote. A book from another time comes to life in your hands. It revitalises the past, make it real.”
For more details on the upcoming talks visit The Commandery website or Facebook page in the coming weeks.