"How should ECW be commemorated/interpreted?" Topic

The Cromwell Association & Battlefields Trust are holding a joint Study Day at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on 12th November on the subject of how the Civil War should be interpreted, as in museums, battlefields etc.

As well-informed and interested folk, what do TMP-ers think? The Newark Civil War Centre got a hard time a while back, what do you think can/should be done?

If interested in the Study Day itself, details are at olivercromwell.org

What was the hard time the Civil War Centre got?

I was up there for some meetings before it opened, then around just as a visitor the weekend it went public: it seemed very well received and a big success.

At Naseby we have always sought to avoid jingoism and have never had any kind of 'hard time' either. Heritage consultants, of course, like to step up the sectarianism and stereotypes but we mustn't lose sight of the fact that in 1645 the direction of the Constitution of these islands was decided on the battlefield (so that does need some protection and interpretation).

Good topic – I'm listening, too.

Phil

If I am understanding what you are asking, my short answer is tell it like it is. Cromwell, for instance, was just one part. The good and bad the man did should be on display in gory detail. True for every other part of the ECW. How can you learn from the past when you can't learn about the past?

I agree with that joker.

The war was epochal, in my opinion, but only a minor,teetering step on the way to modern government. Like most civil wars, there were some pretty horrible people and things on both sides.

Without "King" Oliver, would there have been the motivation to keep going forward and lay the groundwork for a constitutional monarchy? Who knows.

I think the Newark centre got a hard time because there isn't really all that much there (according to every ECW afficionado I know who has been). Given its importance in the constitutional history of all of these islands, I think this conference should be taken very seriously.

Agreed that the CWC should be/could be about 4x the size … just hadn't seen that criticism being publicly made/publicised.

Sadly the Heritage industry seems to consider the Civil War to be a low interest topic compared to say dinosaurs or spacemen. If people think the CWC needs to be a much bigger deal, we need to see this more publicly so we can press for better coverage. And we can, but we need the ammunition …

Phil

Personally I found the Newark museum very good indeed, and as I took along my partner who knew sweet FA about the ECW I base my judgement on her very positive reactions, rather than my own jaded and over revised attitude.

Hopefully someone will report on this conference (and post a link here) as it would be interesting to know if there are any conclusions. Unfortunately I suspect most of us will not be able to attend in person.