'Britain Turned Upside Down: Civil War & Republic' 

Christ Church Special Interest Event 

Thursday 26 to Saturday 29 March 2026

For many years a highspot of our early spring has been returning to Christ Church for the annual Special Interest Event. It offers a delightful combination of intellectual stimulation, social excitement and gastronomic indulgence. For me this comes with a heady dose of nostalgia and for my wife the pleasure of attending many of the cathedral services. This year the subject was the 17th century civil war or wars – historians disagree even about the title. It was covered in four days of lectures of the highest quality, with a surprise – and stellar –appearance by the Chancellor. Lord William Hague spoke about the contemporary  importance of understanding the civil wars, while other speakers covered topics as diverse as the impact on the Atlantic colonies and the experience of ordinary people returning  to live alongside those they had been fighting. On Saturday afternoon more practical activities were available, including a demonstration of arms and armour. I was a little disappointed not to be offered the chance to fire a musket. In the 1970s we history undergraduates were discouraged from studying the civil war because of its difficulty and complexity. This course filled that gap in our education to some extent, and for the non historians, provided an excellent and accessible introduction to a fascinating subject. A memory I treasure is seeing my wife – normally no enthusiast for history – immersed in her pre-course reading.

The social side was as good as ever in 2026. A delightful succession of receptions and dinners (with excellent food and wine as usual) culminated in the gala dinner where I read the Latin grace for the first time in over 50 years. The alumni amongst the delegates were even treated to a special reception in the SCR. For us alumni (incuding my friends Bill Lattimer (1969), Bryce Hamblin (1969) and Noy Trounson (1970)) it was a most enjoyable reunion with each other – and the surroundings we came to love so many years ago.