English Civil War Fortress and Sieges
– a special exhibition at the Cromwell Museum
Cromwell Museum, Huntingdon
2nd November 2026 to 4th April 2027
The importance of sieges and fortifications during the Civil Wars of 1639-60 is often misunderstood and under-represented in studies of the conflict. But to contemporaries, sieges dominated the fighting. Writing in 1677, the 1st Earl of Orrey, a veteran of the wars, noted that it was fought “more like foxes than lions, and you will have twenty sieges for one battle”. More recently, historian Professor Christopher Duffy described the Civil Wars as “a war of trenches, ramparts, palisades, bombardments and blockades”.
Just why fortresses were so important during the wars will be explored in a new special exhibition at Huntingdon’s Cromwell Museum this autumn.
Run in conjunction with the Fortress Study Group, the exhibition brings together a number of exhibits, many not normally on display, explaining how and why these fortresses were built and how they were besieged.
As well as the exhibition itself, there are other activities taking place during the exhibition including siege-focused wargames and, in March 2027, a symposium dedicated to the study of fortresses and sieges during the English Civil War.
Taking place on Saturday, 20 March 2027 at Huntingdon Town Hall, joining the event’s key-note speaker, Doctor Ismani Pells, will be experts presenting papers covering the latest research into fortifications and sieges. Tickets will go on sale in October 2026.
Further information about the exhibition and symposium will be available in due course at https://www.cromwellmuseum.org/events, but in the meantime, you can contact the museum at The Cromwell Museum, Grammar School Walk, Huntingdon, PE29 3LF; Tel: 01480 708008, Email: [email protected].
For further information concerning this press release please contact the FSG lead, David Flintham ([email protected]) or Stuart Orme at the Cromwell Museum ([email protected])
