The Cromwell Museum

-
A trip down to 'that there London', inevitably led to a slight detour via Cambridgeshire for the ECW Travelogue. First stop The Cromwell Museum which claims to be the "home to the best collection of items relating to the life and times of Oliver Cromwell on public display anywhere in the world". Sounds like fighting talk to me. Best to check that claim out...


The museum is located in the former Huntingdon Grammar School building, a school attended by Oliver himself. The building itself has a fascinating history, starting it's life as a medieval hospital.

So what's there to see, and can it back up it's claim?

If you are looking for interactive displays, a coffee shop, and acres of space then perhaps this isn't the museum for you. The building itself is quite small, the collection it houses could quite comfortably fill a museum two or three times it's size.


There are a number of items of arms and armour on permanent display.


The great man's hat and boots


Oliver, himself. There are masses of portraits in the museum


The museum is currently hosting a temporary exhibition on the 'arms and armour of the English Civil Wars'

So, can it back up it's claim? I think it can and does.

Update: the museum has just reopened after a four month renovation. I've not revisited yet, but it looks much smarter!


Whilst in Huntingdon pop for a pint in The Falcon Inn (opposite the museum, other side of the war memorial). Where Cromwell recruited for his first troop of cavalry in 1642.

As for Huntingdon's role in the Wars: the town was briefly garrisoned by the Earl of Manchester in September 1644; in August 1645 Charles advanced upon the town with 4000 horse, they were met by a small  force of 400 Parliamentarian dragoons on the Stilton Road, the King taking the town "with great store of prisoners and arms". He would spend the night in the George Hotel, again, conveniently sited across the way from the Cromwell Museum. 


A model of the bulwark at Earith. A civil war era sconce. Still very well preserved, there is no public access to the bulwark itself, but there is a public bridleway which goes very close to one corner of the structure. Best viewed from above to be honest. Parking available on the A1123 at Earith Bridge.



Both photos from the Instagram account thatkarlsmith, the shot of the sconce in  the flooding (December 2020) is particularly spectacular



Postcodes for SatNavs
The Cromwell Museum PE29 3LF
St Germain Street parking PE29 3FG
Earith Bridge parking PE28 3PR

If you enjoyed reading this, or any of the other posts, please consider supporting the blog. 
Thanks.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot

-
Image
Finally, here is the first of the long promised size comparison shots. This post looking at foot figures.  For the full picture see:- Which Figures?   - the original post, where I ruminate about what I want from figures, and what led me to choose Peter Pig. Which Figures? What is Available   - the state of play with current 'ECW' 15mm figure ranges; a continually updating look at what figures are available, and what is included/missing from ranges. No commentary on figure size or ruler action (that's down to parts 2a and 3a).    Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot  - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm, with the obligatory ruler shots. This post. Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Foot   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horses  - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm (obligatory ruler content too)  Which Figures? Part 3b: True 15mm/Epic C
Read more

Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horse

-
Image
Here's the final (for the moment) instalment in the What Figures? series. This post looking at mounted figures.  For the full picture see:- Which Figures?   - the original post, where I ruminate about what I want from figures, and what led me to choose Peter Pig. Which Figures? What is Available   - the state of play with current 'ECW' 15mm figure ranges; a continually updating look at what figures are available, and what is included/missing from ranges. No commentary on figure size or ruler action (that's down to parts 2a and 3a).    Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot   - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm, with the obligatory ruler shots.  Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Foot   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horses  - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm (obligatory ruler content too)  This post. Which Figures? Part 3b: True
Read more

Coat Colours Part 1: Parliamentarian Regiments of Foot

-
Image
When I first started my Civil War gaming project I relied upon the many ECW coat colour tables on wargaming websites. As my project has progressed, my library has got bigger, my research has gone back to primary sources rather than relying upon second and third hand sources; and I have noticed quite a few errors in these lists for wargamers. I have also noticed the same errors appearing in multiple lists.     As a result of continually seeing 'the London Trained Bands and their Auxiliaries wore red coats' (there is no evidence supporting this at all, the evidence, whilst not explicit suggests that the London Trained Bands wore civilian clothes - some of the Auxiliaries might have been issued with blue winter coats) I decided to write my own list.  So here it is. If your allegiance lies elsewhere you might want to look at  Introduction   Part 2  Royalist coat colours Part 3  Scots coat colours Part 3B  Montrose and the Irish Brigade Pa
Read more

Which Figures? What is Available

-
Image
My original Which Figures posts have grown exponentially, so much so that I decided to completely revise and expand my posts further. For the full picture see:- Which Figures? - the original post, where I ruminate about what I want from figures, and what led me to choose Peter Pig. Which Figures? What is Available - the state of play with current 'ECW' 15mm figure ranges; a continually updating look at what figures are available, and what is included/missing from ranges. No commentary on figure size or ruler action (that's down to parts 2a and 3a).   This post Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm, with the obligatory ruler shots  Coming Soon Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Foot - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horses   - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm (obligatory ruler content too)  Coming
Read more

Coat Colours Part 2: Royalist Regiments of Foot

-
Image
Continuing my therapeutic blogging (write rather than rant) antidote to incorrect English Civil War coat colour tables for wargamers, I give you the Royalist Regiments of Foot. For all of my coat colour articles see: Introduction   Part 1  Parliamentarian coat colours Part 3  Scots coat colours Part 3B  Montrose and the Irish Brigade Part 4  Dragoons, Horse and the New Model Army coat colours The Trained Bands London Trained Bands Auxiliary regiments Scarves   Same rules apply here, as they did with the Parliamentarian coat colours: Regiments often got renamed when command passed to a new colonel - these regiments are listed under their first name e.g. Jacob Astley's Regiment was originally Richard Fielding's Regiment. Coat colour notes refer to contemporaneous references and some of the deductions made by Reid, Spring,  Peachey and Prince. You will also notice that some regiments have several coat colours listed. Where there is some question around a coat colour I have t
Read more

Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility - Foot

-
Image
My original Which Figures posts have grown exponentially, so much so that I decided to revise the information. For the full picture see:- Which Figures?   - the original post, where I ruminate about what I want from figures, and what led me to choose Peter Pig Which Figures? What is Available   - the state of play with current 'ECW' 15mm figure ranges; a continually updating look at what figures are available, and what is included/missing from ranges. Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot   - I take a look at what is available in 15/18mm and show side by side comparisons  Coming Soon Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Foot   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horses   - I take a look at what is available in 15/18mm and show side by side comparisons Which Figures? Part 3b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Horses   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility I had a little rummage in my spares b
Read more

Celtic Soul Brothers

-
Image
Any excuse to drop a Dexy's song title into a blog entry... hopefully the earworm doesn't last too long. This post takes a long hard look at the new brace of supplements for For King And Parliament. Neither of these supplements were penned by Mr Miller, instead their authors are Bill Linhart, Peter Page, and Paul Reynolds. And they are to be commended for pushing the conflicts from the other two kingdoms (that make up the Wars of the Three Kingdoms).  Scotland and Ireland, in particular, are very much the poor relations in comparison to the English components of the Wars. The first volume is "The Celtic Fringe", a 26 page book of supplementary rules. Whilst written for For King And Parliament, they could well be an excellent starting point for those who play other rulesets. There are rules for the different troop types associated with the various Scots and Irish armies, so archers, highlanders, lancers, 'rabble'; and rules covering associated terrain for these
Read more

Edinburgh - Covenanter Capital

-
Image
The ECW travelogue packed a toothbrush, passport, a jumper, and a big coat and headed north to Edinburgh, home of the Covenanters. Whilst driving north, the inappropriateness of calling the travelogue the ECW travelogue became rather prescient. But it is too late to start calling it the Wofthe3Ktravelogue now! The Covenant If you can tear yourself away from the pipers, tartan shops, and traditional Scottish shortbread, there are a wealth of places and artefacts connected to the Covenanters for you to see. Greyfriars Kirk First stop has to be Greyfriars Kirk , which once you get past all the Greyfriar's Bobby razzmatazz is bursting with Covenanter related history. In the 1638 the Covenant was signed in the kirkyard.  There are believed to be about 50 copies of the Covenant: there are six copies held in Edinburgh, one is on display inside the kirk's small museum.  The Covenanter memorial Whilst in the church yard, there is a large memorial to the Covenanters, this is a replica
Read more

Warlord Pike and Shotte Epic Battles: the infantry sprue

-
Image
Firstly a big thank you to Warlord Games who sent me a sprue of their new Pike and Shotte Epic Battles infantry. (You can see how I got on with the cavalry sprue here. ) I will try and look at these figures from three different angles: the first impression of someone completely new to the period, the button counter’s standpoint, and then from a seasoned wargamer’s point of view. In all cases I'm looking at these through Wars of the Three Kingdoms spectacles. (Wars of the Three Kingdoms is a more accurate name for the conflicts that were fought in the British Isles in the mid seventeenth century. The English Civil War was just one of these conflicts.) The obligatory next to a ruler picture (the ruler is lined up with the soles of their footwear) The 'new to the period' view This one sprue provides enough figures for one unit (a Regiment of Foot or RoF). Figures look very detailed, moulding is clean and crisp with no flash and only minimal mould lines. The pikes look a bit d
Read more

Painting Guide - Artillery

-
Image
 So I have pontificated about clothing colours (in general)... What Colours To Use? What Colours To Use Part 2: Paint ...regimental coat colours (or not)... Coat Colours Part 1: Parliamentarian Regiments of Foot Coat Colours Part 2: Royalist Regiments of Foot Coat Colours Part 3: The Scots Coat Colours Part 4: Others - NMA, Dragoons & Horse The Trained Bands ...and equipment... Painting Guide - Equipment Only time before I looked at artillery. So here it is. A re-enactors' cannon ready to be fired Artillery pieces were expensive to produce, heavy and difficult to move around. The idea of using artillery in battle (rather than in a siege) was still in it's infancy. Guns were placed before the battle and pretty much stayed there win, lose or draw. Gunners were highly skilled individuals, many having learned their art on the continent during the Thirty Years War, and were often described as mercenaries employed by whomsoever paid the most rather than whose cause their hearts s
Read more