Cromwell: warts and all
8 January to 28 February 1999
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Death mask of Oliver Cromwell |
The latest in our series of Capital Concerns marks the 350th anniversary of the execution of Charles I and the 400th anniversary of Oliver Cromwell's birth.
More has been written about Oliver Cromwell than any other British ruler. This fascination has given rise to many myths - some popularly accepted as fact - and a vast number of 'relics' associated with the man. Cromwell: warts and all displays a selection of these, including the stained waistcoat said to have been worn on the scaffold by Charles I and the death mask of Oliver Cromwell. |
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Knitted silk 'waistcoat' reputedly worn by Charles I on the scaffold. Forensic examination has been used to determine the cause of the stains and to see whether they could be linked to the execution. The results were inconclusive.
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Born the son of a country gentleman in Huntingdon on 25 April 1599, Cromwell fought for Parliament against the King during the Civil Wars (1642-9). His was one of the 59 signatures on the King's death warrant, resulting in the execution of Charles I in 1649. He rose to prominence, becoming 'Protector of the Commonwealth' in 1653. In spite of disagreements with Parliament, Cromwell secured peace and prosperity at home and pursued a successful foreign policy. He was offered the crown in 1657 but chose instead the title of Lord Protector.
Cromwell died of malaria on 3 September 1658, aged 59. A public funeral was held with full regal ceremony. The hearse alone cost £4000 and estimates of the total funeral expenses range from £28,000 to £60,000, an extraordinary sum when the average wage was under one shilling per day. |
At the Restoration of the monarchy in 1661, however, Cromwell's elaborate hearse was destroyed. His body was exhumed, the head severed and the corpse cast into a pit under the gallows. The decapitated head was placed on a pole above Westminster Hall. Various accounts suggest that Cromwell's head blew off in a high wind falling at the feet of the sentry on guard, who took it home.
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After exhumation, Cromwell's corpse was hung up and decapitated |
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Was Oliver Cromwell's religious inclination and hatred of authority a mask covering a thirst for power? Or was he a genuine democrat forced to become a dictator against his will? And did he really ask to be painted 'warts and all?
By exploring the legend and the reality of this controversial figure, Cromwell: warts and all brings alive some of the most dramatic events in English history.
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