17 March 2026 – The Graham Searle Lecture – Dr. Jonathan Healey, Associate Professor in Social History, University of Oxford – The Blood in Winter. A Nation Descends 1642.
Dr Healey will focus on the pivotal year of 1642, the outbreak of the English Civil War. This year saw the breakdown of relations between King Charles I and Parliament, leading to an armed conflict that would tear the country apart. Dr Healey’s lecture will examine the key events of 1642, from the attempted arrest of the five MPs to the raising of the royal standard at Nottingham. He will explore how a nation descended into war, examining the political, religious, and social tensions that made a peaceful resolution impossible.
After years of tension between a king and his people, in 1641 England reaches a semblance of peace. Armies have disbanded, legislation has passed to ensure Parliament will continue to sit, and the people are tentatively optimistic. Radical politicians congratulate themselves on a stunning political victory. Royal servants are coming to accept an altered future. Then comes winter. With it, chaos, protests, political deadlock, and eventually a remarkable attempt by King Charles I to destroy his opponents. On 4 January 1642 Charles marches on the small riverside city of Westminster at the head of an army, seeking to arrest five Members of Parliament. In doing so, he sets in motion a series of events that will lead to bloodshed and war, changing a nation forever. Why did the English Civil War break out? The Blood in Winter tells the story of an English people’s great political awakening, and of a nation that splintered into bloodshed at a terrifying speed. Jonathan Healey recreates the claustrophobic atmosphere of the day, with rowdy protestors in the streets and London blanketed in coal smoke. It is a story of remarkable but flawed characters, all faced with unpalatable choices, and a frightening picture of a society in profound distress. [Publishers description of The Blood in Winter]