Oxford and the English Civil War

This walk will look at life in the city during the War and it will also examine more broadly the role of Oxford’s former students and consider what made Oxford an attractive base for King Charles I and his army.

Oxford was the Royalist Capital during the English Civil War from 1642-46. Not only was the king based here, but so were large numbers of soldiers, courtiers, refugees and hangers-on as well as locals and university men. It was a testing time for the overcrowded city, where disease became rife and which had three (not entirely successful) sieges visited upon it by the Parliamentarians. Colleges gave up their precious treasures to the King’s newly installed Royal Mint and the University’s buildings were requisitioned and fortifications dug.

A significant number of key figures in the political upheavals which led to the war had also been educated here. Archbishop Laud is buried in St John’s College together with one of the men present on the scaffold with King Charles I; on the Parliamentarian side, John Pym hailed from Broadgates (now Pembroke), Henry Ireton from Trinity and a remarkable number of the regicides recorded on the king’s arrest warrant had also passed through.

Programme details

• 10.15am – Registration in front of Ashmolean Museum (Beaumont Street).
• 10.30am – Begin walking tour around Oxford.
• 12.30pm – Return to Rewley House.
• 12.45pm – Lunch. 
• 01.45pm – End of day.

Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 on the 22 October.