Friends of Stony Stratford Library: Which Side were you on at Marston Moor Talk

Friends of Stony Stratford LIbrary

Which Side were you on at Marston Moor? A Foray into the continuing importance of the English Civil War.

Most of us know the English Civil War in the 17^th century as the battle between the Cavaliers (Wrong but Wromantic) and the Roundheads (Right but Repulsive). However, the two decades 1640 to 1660 saw the birth of popular radicalism and substantial contributions to our literary, political and social thinking. Find out more!

A Presentation by Robert Gifford

Tuesday September 29 at 7pm via Zoom

Please contact fosslmk@gmail.com to register for this presentation

Rob describes his talk thus:

"The period between 1640 and 1660 is often characterised as a battle between the Cavaliers (Wrong but Wromantic) and the Roundheads (Right but Repulsive). That is how it is described in 1066 and All That. The reality is much more complicated. The Parliamentarian side included a wide range of political and religious views, many of which retain a contemporary relevance. The period also saw a significant contribution to political theory through works such as Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes. The questions asked about how far power should be shared within society also have a current application. In this talk, I will look at the period and ask what it still has to tell us about 21st century Britain."

The speaker: Rob Gifford is co-curator of StonyWords and chair of the Stony Stratford Theatre Society. In 2019, he put together a documentary about Peterloo to mark the 200th anniversary of the events in Manchester in August 1819. He is currently revising a play set in the 1640s for performance in 2021. He describes himself as a "cultural activist" who has lived in Stony Stratford since 1996.

If you wish to attend this presentation, please can you email FoSSL on the above email. When the Zoom meeting has been set-up, a link will be sent on to everyone who has registered their interest. On the evening of the talk, you will then need to click on the link in the email and will be admitted to the meeting.