Guest blog: Princess Elizabeth Stuart (1635-50) (Mary McVicker, writer)

The Five Eldest Children of Charles I  (1637) by Van Dyck (Princess Elizabeth Stuart second-right).

I knew that a couple of Charles I's children (Henry and Elizabeth) had shared a heart-breaking few minutes with their father prior to his execution, but as both died young, their stories have rather been lost.

In this guest article, writer Mary McVicker reflects on the short life of Princess Elizabeth Stuart (1635-50), revealing a dramatic existence governed by the tides of war ...

Charles II: Art & Power @ The Queen's Gallery

Portraits at the Charles II: Art & Power exhibition

There have been a few fine 17th century exhibitions in London over the past few years: Peter Lely at the Courtauld, the fantastic In Fine Style: The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion at the Queen's Gallery, The Lost Prince: Henry Stuart at the NPG and the William Dobson 400th anniversary celebration at Somerset House.

Another two were running simultaneously in the capital last year: Charles I, King and Collector at the Royal Academy, and Charles II: Art and Power at the Queen's Gallery. Shamefully I missed the Royal Academy show (though it did get mixed reviews), but did manage to make it along to the Charles II exhibition, which was excellent. Here are some pics ... 

Q&A: British Historical Medals of the 17th Century (Jerome J. Platt, author and collector)

THE ‘JUXON MEDAL.’ ALTHOUGH OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A ‘MEDAL,’ THIS GOLD PIECE IS ACTUALLY A PATTERN FOR A FIVE UNITE (FIVE POUND) COIN (M.I. 374/270; 38 MM.). IMAGE COURTESY OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

Books on 17th century military campaigns rarely mention the award of medals. Beyond the odd token of appreciation handed out by the monarch, I was unaware of them being routinely issued at all.

So it was fascinating to learn that the practice became increasingly common during the 1640s, with medals from the period highly prized by collectors today.

The subject is explored in a new book, British Historical Medals of the 17th Century, by Jerome J. Platt. I asked Jerome about who typically issued these awards and why, and learned more about the background to his own collecting ...

Royal Ordnance in 1637

One of the culverins on Gun Hill, Southwold. The origin of the six guns is still open to conjecture. Photo: © Copyright Evelyn Simak (CC BY-SA 2.0)

After revisiting an old guest blog article on 17th century siege warfare I stumbled across a fascinating analysis of a Royal Ordnance inventory  ...

Anthony Powell Society article

The Anthony Powell Society newsletter.

An old article from this site about the Charles I statue in Trafalgar Square appears in the latest edition of the Anthony Powell Society newsletter.

Powell wrote in a 1989 Telegraph article on London statues that "aesthetically speaking" the Le Seur's sculpture of the monarch was "the winner". To enlighten members further the Society got in touch. As luck would have it they found a Powell fan ...

Commemoration, Holly Holy Day, Mass for a Martyr and 'Fortress Newark'

The parade of the King's Army on Horse Guard's Parade in 2012.

A number of annual events are scheduled to take place later this month:

• Jan 24 Holly Holy Day 2015: Day commemorating the lifting of the Siege of Nantwich in 1644. Expect living history displays, cavalry, music, molly dancing, plough witches and other activities, with the battle re-enactment on Mill Island just on the west side of the town centre at 2pm.
• Jan 25 (11am - 1pm): The King's Army of the English Civil War Society traces the route of the King's last walk from St James' Palace in the Mall to his place of execution at the banqueting House in Whitehall. The army will be draw up on Horse Guards Parade, with a wreath laid outside the Banqueting House.
• Jan 31 (12pm): Sung Mass at Saint Mary de Castro, Castle Street, Leicester, to commemorate the 'Martyrdom of King Charles'.

An exciting series of events has also been announced for the May bank holiday weekend to celebrate the opening of the National Civil War Centre in Newark. Over the weekend of 3-4 May 'Fortress Newark' will feature re-enactments, displays, parades and living history to bring the Civil Wars to life, with up to 1000 members of the Sealed Knot, English Civil War Society and History Re-enactment Workshop taking part. More details can be found on the Events calendar.

More events in 2015

Cromwell and Hesilrig display @ NPG

The display at the National Portrait Gallery.

If you're in London over the next year a couple of small 17th century displays at the National Portrait Gallery are worth catching.

One explores the relationship between art and power during the period, while the other reveals an intriguing discovery about the collection's portrait of Sir Arthur Hesilrig ...

17th century art @ The Weiss Gallery

Sign outside the Weiss Gallery, London

The sign above caught my eye a few weeks back when walking in Jermyn Street ...

Charles I - 'murder'd'

The record for January 1648/9 noting the king's death.

An intriguing record concerning the execution of Charles I has recently come to light in a Hertfordshire parish register ...

In Fine Style: The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion @ Queen's Gallery

Portraits of English Civil War commanders in the section on military clothing and armour.

There's just a few weeks left to catch the excellent exhibition In Fine Style: The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion, which runs at the Queen's Gallery (Buckingham Palace) until 6 October.

Here's some of what you can expect ...

Half-way house: the Stuarts at Titchfield

The ruins of Place House/Titchfield Abbey. The mansion would have evoked difficult memories for both Charles I and his eldest two sons.

Titchfield Abbey (or Place House) in Hampshire is perhaps best known for its Shakespeare associations: its owner, the Third Earl of Southampton, was the playwright's patron (and, many assume, the 'Fair Youth' to whom the majority of his sonnets are addressed), and some of the bard's plays are believed to have been performed there for the first time.

Less well-known, but no less dramatic, however, is Titchfield's association with the Stuarts ...

What next for Nottingham Castle?

The castle's gatehouse and bridge (the bit that does look like a castle!), showing the original medieval masonry topped by Victorian renovation. 

"It's not a castle, it's just a small scale 'heritage' centre that is in dire need of update. Parking is a nightmare. Avoid." - Pete B, Tripadvisor, Feb 24th 2013

Nottingham Castle isn't that bad. But for as long as I've visited, it's been a funny old place.

"Where's the castle?" many ask after buying their ticket. They have a point. The 17th century Ducal palace high on the rocky outcrop hardly looks like one. Its full title even suggests a need to justify itself. Google it and 'Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery' comes up. It's true - there's a good art gallery, a rather esoteric museum collection and other displays. It does what it says on the tin - just about.

But it's not the brooding, medieval home of the nasty Sheriff of Nottingham beloved of myth-hunters.

All this, however, might be about to change. Development plans are on the table which would see it transformed into a primarily Robin Hood-themed attraction. 17th century buffs are familiar with the site as the place where Charles I raised his standard in 1642 - but will there be a place for the Nottingham's role in the English Civil War in the new narrative? And what about all the other things the city's famous for?

Trial of Charles I - By the Sword Divided

Today marks the 364th anniversary of the execution of Charles I. Here's his trial as depicted in the excellent By the Sword Divided (read more about the series here).

Still not got hold of the DVD set!

Wreaths commemorating the execution of Charles I

The wreath on the Charles I statue in Trafalgar Square.

Some photos taken after the King's Army parade yesterday ...

Henry Stuart, Prince of Wales exhibition @ National Portrait Gallery

The Lost Prince: The Life and Death of Henry Stuart at the National Portrait Gallery.

Charles I was never meant be king. His elder brother Henry was intended to succeed his father as Henry IX, but died tragically at the age of only 18. Henry had been held in great esteem, and hopes were high. He would reassert England as a significant Protestant power in Europe, become a beacon for the arts and, through the unifying force of his personality, avoid any need for an English Civil War. He was destined to be/do lots of things, counter-factual historians suggest, drawing - in part - on the outpouring of literature lamenting his loss.
How much can truly be interpreted about someone when they die so young? I went along to The Lost Prince: The Life and Death of Henry Stuart at the National Portrait Gallery to find out ...

55 Days @ Hampstead Theatre

Mark Gatiss as Charles I in Howard Brenton's 55 Days.

As a League of Gentlemen fan I was particularly looking forward to seeing Mark Gatiss as Charles I in Howard Brenton's 55 Days at the Hampstead Theatre, and I managed to catch it just before the end of its sell-out run ...

Chess board, thought to have been owned by Charles I, up for auction

The early-17th century amber games board, attributed to Georg Schreiber.

A 17th century amber games board, believed to have been owned by Charles I, is up for auction tomorrow, with an estimate price of £300,000 - 500,000 ...

The View @ Epping Forest

The View visitor centre on the edge of Chingford, north-east London.

The View - the new Epping Forest gateway - has opened. Converted from the old stable buildings from the adjacent mock-Tudor Victorian pub, its displays feature a small section on the ancient Royal forest during the English Civil War ...

Brentford and Turnham Green walk

One of the Battlefields Trust's explanation boards at Turnham Green, London. View the locations of the Battles of Brentford and Turnham Green on an interactive map.

Marston Moor. Definitely Marston Moor.

Or maybe Naseby.

Though there is Cheriton ... Come to think of it, how about Stow-on-the-Wold?

Each has a claim, though a recent Battlefields Trust walk made a strong case for the Battles of Brentford and Turnham Green to be considered the most significant military event in the English Civil War.

But why do we read so little about them ? ...

Rare 17th century documents up for auction

A number of the documents feature legislation put hastily together in the aftermath of the execution of Charles I and in the immediate months after the Restoration.

A number of rare and important 17th century documents go under the hammer this Thursday.

Mostly printed Acts of Parliament, they include folios proposing support for soldiers maimed during the English Civil War, the establishment of the Post Office in 1660 and a paper (probably) secretly printed by the controversial Royalist Roger L'Estrange ...