These are the principal reference books used in creating this site — with the works of S.R. Gardiner as the main inspiration. This is a personal booklist, not an academic bibliography. Further information, including primary source material, has been gleaned from the Internet — various reference sites are listed on the Links and Resources page. A number of media creations relating to the Cromwellian era are reviewed on the Media Reviews page.
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Ashley, Maurice, Cromwell's Generals, (London 1953)
A study of Cromwell's leading officers, their relations with each other and with Cromwell himself. Includes a detailed account of the Dunbar and Worcester campaigns.
Barratt, John, Cavaliers: the Royalist Army at War 1642-1646, (Stroud 2000)
Surveys the Royalist armies, commanders, tactics and campaigns of the First Civil War and compares them to their Parliamentarian counterparts.
Burne, Alfred H. and Young, Peter, The Great Civil War: a military history of the First Civil War 1642-1646, (London 1958)
Classic military history of the principal campaigns of the First Civil War. Originally published in 1958, reprinted by the Windrush Press in 1998.
Capp, Bernard, Cromwell's Navy: the fleet and the English Revolution 1648-1660, (Oxford 1989)
Describes the politicisation of the navy during the Commonwealth and Protectorate and the vital role of sea-power in advancing Cromwell's aggressive foreign policy.
Davies, Godfrey, The Restoration of Charles II 1658-1660, (San Marino 1955)
Details the complex period from the accession of Richard Cromwell in September 1658 to the restoration of the monarchy in May 1660.
Dictionary of National Biography (DNB)
Essential biographical resource and the standard reference for most of the biographies on this site. Fully updated in 2004 as the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. An online version is now available but requires a subscription.
Durston, Christopher, Cromwell's Major-Generals: godly government during the English Revolution, (Manchester 2001)
Analysis of the Rule of the Major-Generals 1655-7, which calls into question the standard view of the Major-Generals as tyrannical despots.
Edwards, Graham, The Last Days of Charles I, (Stroud 1999)
Detailed account of the trial and execution of King Charles and information on the regicides.
Emberton, Wilfrid, The English Civil War Day by Day (Stroud 1995)
A useful timeline of the three civil wars.
Firth, C.H., Cromwell's Army, (London 1902)
"A history of the English soldier during the Civil Wars, the Commonwealth and the Protectorate". A classic.
Firth, C.H., The Last Years of the Protectorate (2 volumes, London 1909)
The continuation of S.R. Gardiner's History of the Commonwealth and Protectorate (see below), left unfinished when Gardiner died. Firth continues the story to the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658.
Fraser, Antonia, Cromwell: our chief of men, (London 1973)
Perceptive and very readable biography of the great man.
Gardiner, S.R., History of the Great Civil War, (4 volumes, London 1888-94)
First published at the end of the 19th century, these volumes remain the basis of all subsequent narrative histories of the Civil War and are the principal source for the Timelines and many of the articles on this site. Reprinted by the Windrush Press in association with Phoenix Press (2002).
Gardiner, S.R., History of the Commonwealth and Protectorate (4 volumes, London 1903)
The continuation of S.R. Gardiner's monumental survey, these volumes describe the period from the execution of King Charles I in 1649 to the Rule of the Major-Generals in 1656. Reprinted by the Windrush Press in 1989, but currently out of print again.
Gaunt, Peter, The Cromwellian Gazetteer: an illustrated guide to Britain in the civil war and Commonwealth, (Stroud 1987)
County-by-county guide to the major Civil War and Cromwellian-era sites in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Gregg, Pauline, King Charles I, (Berkeley 1984)
Sympathetic biography of the unfortunate king. The eScholarship Edition is available online courtesy of the University of California.
Hayes-McCoy, G.A., Irish Battles: a military history of Ireland, (London 1969)
Accounts and background context of fourteen significant battles in Irish history from the 11th to the 18th centuries, including Benburb (1646) and Rathmines (1649).
Haythornthwaite, Philip, The English Civil War 1642-1652: an illustrated military history, (London 1983)
Outlines the military campaigns of the three civil wars and gives detailed information on weapons, armour, tactics &c. Colour plates by Jeffrey Burn vividly illustrate how civil war soldiers were dressed and equipped.
Hill, Christopher, The World Turned Upside Down: radical ideas during the English Revolution, (London 1975)
Discusses the beliefs of radical groups such as the Levellers, Diggers, Ranters &c, and describes their attempts to put their ideas into practice.
Hutton, Ronald, Charles II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland, (Oxford 1989)
The standard biography of the "merry monarch". The early chapters describe the exile of Charles Stuart and give the Royalist perspective on the Commonwealth and Protectorate years.
Hutton, Ronald, The British Republic 1649-1660, (Basingstoke 2000)
Introductory summary of the Commonwealth and Protectorate era. The preface to the second edition (2000) reviews recent research into the period. There is also an extensive critical bibliography.
Hutton, Ronald, The Restoration, a political and religious history of England and Wales 1658-1667, (Oxford 1985)
Detailed and very readable account of events from the death of Oliver Cromwell through to the Restoration and the early years of the reign of Charles II.
Kenyon, J. and Ohlmeyer, J. (editors), The Civil Wars: a military history of England, Scotland and Ireland 1638-1660, (Oxford 1998)
Essays by leading academics on various military aspects of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Lenihan, Pádraig, Confederate Catholics at War 1641-49, (Cork 2001)
Military narrative of the course of the Confederate War in Ireland with discussion of
techniques of fortification, siegecraft and battle.
Morrill, J. (editor), Revolution and Restoration: England in the 1650s, (London 1992)
Essays on the effects of the English Revolution upon the constitution, law and church during the 1650s, and its legacy after the Restoration.
Newman, P.R., Atlas of the English CIvil War, (London 1985)
Maps and descriptions of military and political developments 1639-60 from the Bishops' Wars to General Monck's march on London.
Reid, Stuart, All the King's Armies: a military history of the English Civil War 1642-1651, (Staplehurst 1998)
Major new military history of the three civil wars with fresh interpretations of key battles and campaigns and discussion of technical and economic factors that affected strategy and tactics.
Royle, Trevor, Civil War: the wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1660, (London 2004)
Useful overview of the entire period of the British Civil Wars, Commonwealth and Protectorate.
Seymour, William, Battles in Britain 1066-1746, (Ware 1997)
Descriptions and maps of wars, campaigns and battles fought in England and Scotland from the Norman Invasion to the Jacobite Rebellions, including the major civil war battles and Montrose's campaign in Scotland.
Speed, John, The Counties of Britain: a Tudor atlas, (London 1995)
Reproduction of John Speed's famous atlas of 1606, for information on 17th century county boundaries.
Stevenson, David, The Scottish Revolution 1637-1644, (Newton Abbott 1973)
Describes the rise of the Covenanters and their attempt to retain a separate Scottish Parliament and Kirk, from the signing of the National Covenant to the alliance with the English Parliament.
Stevenson, David, Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Scotland 1644-1651, (Newton Abbott 1977)
The later stages of Covenanter rule in Scotland, from intervention in the English Civil War to the Cromwellian conquest of Scotland.
Underdown, David, Royalist Conspiracy in England 1649-60, (New Haven 1960)
Detailed and fascinating account of the Royalist underground during the Interregnum and the conspirators who plotted to overthrow the Commonwealth and Protectorate régimes.
Wedgwood, C.V., The King's Peace 1637-41, (London 1955)
Describes the four years of the reign of King Charles the First immediately preceding the outbreak of the Civil War, with many insights into the causes of the conflict.
Wedgwood, C.V., The King's War 1641-1647, (London 1958)
Classic narrative account of the First Civil War first published in 1957. Unbeatable as "a good read".
Wedgwood, C.V., The Trial of Charles I, (London 1964)
Informative, well-written account of the King's trial and execution.
Wheeler, James Scott, Cromwell in Ireland, (New York 1999)
A balanced narrative of Cromwell's invasion of Ireland with a good summary of the preceding Confederate War and details of the military operations that completed the conquest of Ireland after Cromwell's departure.
Woolrych, Austin, Commonwealth to Protectorate, (London 1982)
Detailed analysis of the brief period of the Nominated Assembly (Barebones Parliament) 1653, with important discussion of the reasons for the failure of the English republic.
Young, P. and Emberton, W., Sieges of the Great Civil War, (London 1978)
The methods of 17th Century siege warfare and descriptions of several important sieges of the First Civil War. Includes excellent pictorial maps by Stephen Beck.