All of our lectures are live streamed and are open to anyone to join us online, Fellows and Non-Fellows.
To view any of our past lectures please visit our YouTube channel.
To view any of our past lectures please visit our YouTube channel.
Mills Whipp Projects – London’s Civil War Defences: Rewriting History
by Mike Hutchinson and Peter Mills
The outbreak of war between the King and Parliament in late 1642 resulted in the hasty construction of forts around the City of London, Westminster and Southwark to repel royalist forces. In early 1643 more measured defences were built, comprising forts linked by Lines of Communication. The defences were slighted by the New Model Army in 1647. No contemporary map of the defences has survived and the assumed locations are based on an 18th century map.
In the field, however, the actual location of the Civil War Defences of London has been problematic for many years. Excavations on the predicted defences failed consistently to uncover any trace of the fortifications.
Mills Whipp Projects was commissioned by Historic England (and jointly funded by the Southwark & Lambeth Archaeological Excavation Committee) to re-examine the archaeological, documentary and pictorial evidence for the defences.
The results have been startling. Almost all the forts examined so far (the project is still in hand) and the Lines have been found to be misplaced in the conventional paradigm and the assumed morphology of the Lines has been shown to be incorrect. All history books touching on the subject will need revising.
The lecture will outline the research undertaken and illustrate the results.
This event will be both in person at Burlington House and online. Please select the appropriate ticket below.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]