Lineage and Architectural Display: the ‘Golden Chapel’ at Tong (Shropshire) and the Commemoration of Sir Henry Vernon, governor of the household of Prince Arthur
Dr Simon Payling of our 1461-1504 section explores the life and remembrance of MP for Derbyshire Sir Henry Vernon, and his family’s enduring relationship with Tong (Shropshire). In the funerary landscape of late-medieval England, parish churches provided gentry families a hallowed setting, at the heart of their communities, in which their lineage and status could be publicly and enduringly expressed. The church of St Bartholomew at Tong in … Continue reading Lineage and Architectural Display: the ‘Golden Chapel’ at Tong (Shropshire) and the Commemoration of Sir Henry Vernon, governor of the household of Prince Arthur
‘The strangest bill that ever I heard…’: Bishop Joseph Hall, the Church of England and the Long Parliament, 1640-1642
Dr Vivienne Larminie explores the political career of one of the most influential mid-seventeenth century bishops As the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act of April 2026 reminds us, the composition of the Upper House has long been the subject of debate. One element of this has concerned the presence of faith leaders in general and of Church of England bishops in particular. This may … Continue reading ‘The strangest bill that ever I heard…’: Bishop Joseph Hall, the Church of England and the Long Parliament, 1640-1642
Between Parliament and king: the politics of Convocation in early Stuart England
At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 2 June, Professor Eloise Davies of the University of Florida, will be discussing the politics of convocation in early Stuart England. The seminar takes place on 2 June 2026, between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. You can attend online via Zoom. Details of how to join the discussion are available here. The history of Convocation, the traditional … Continue reading Between Parliament and king: the politics of Convocation in early Stuart England
Section 28: Memories from the Oral History Archive
Section 28 of the Local Government Act, 1988, was one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in Britain at the end of the twentieth century. To mark the anniversary of its introduction, Alfie Steer has delved into the oral history archive to explore MPs’ memories of it. Section 28 (otherwise known as Clause 28) was first included in the 1988 Local Government Act as … Continue reading Section 28: Memories from the Oral History Archive
Four prorogations and a conflagration: Parliament and its buildings in 1834
Continuing our series on parliamentary buildings, Dr Kathryn Rix of our House of Commons 1832-1945 project looks at the makeshift arrangements made for the prorogation in the aftermath of the devastating Westminster fire of October 1834. On 15 August 1834 the House of Commons assembled for the last day of the 1834 parliamentary session. Around seventy members were present in the chamber – the former St … Continue reading Four prorogations and a conflagration: Parliament and its buildings in 1834
Processing to Parliament for the state opening in early modern England
Ceremonial processions were a key feature of the state opening of Parliament in the Tudor and early Stuart eras, just as they are today, but the form they took was very different from current practice, as Dr Paul Hunneyball of our Elizabethan Lords project explains… No modern state opening of Parliament would be complete without the impressive sight of the monarch travelling by coach from … Continue reading Processing to Parliament for the state opening in early modern England
Parliamentary politics in the London boroughs, 1832-68
At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 19 May, Dr Jeremy Crump of the Institute of Historical Research, will be discussing parliamentary politics in the London boroughs between 1832 and 1868. The seminar takes place on 19 May 2026, between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. It is fully ‘hybrid’, which means you can attend either in-person in London at the IHR, or online … Continue reading Parliamentary politics in the London boroughs, 1832-68
Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, and the Southampton Plot of 1415: a false conviction of treason?
In August 1415, three conspirators were executed for their role in the Southampton Plot, an attempt to usurp Henry V. Although two of the plotter’s motives were clear, Dr Simon Payling of our 1461-1504 section explores how Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham’s intentions are harder to ascertain… The ‘Southampton Plot’, uncovered in the very final stages of Henry V’s preparations for the invasion of France … Continue reading Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, and the Southampton Plot of 1415: a false conviction of treason?
One half of ‘all England’? Yorkshire elections in the 18th century
The elections of May 2026 in England, Scotland and Wales provide another opportunity to consider some of the features of parliamentary elections in the unreformed 18th century. Here Dr Charles Littleton looks at one of the period’s more notable constituencies and one particularly turbulent contest there. Between 1715 and 1832 there were 22 general elections. Attention to these is usually most focussed on some of … Continue reading One half of ‘all England’? Yorkshire elections in the 18th century
The 1926 General Strike and Parliamentary Democracy
One hundred years ago today, the 1926 General Strike broke out in Britain. To mark the anniversary, Alfie Steer has explored its significance for Britain’s parliamentary system. In 1925, the private owners of Britain’s mining industry (nicknamed the ‘sick man of British capitalism’, [Miliband, p.121]) tried to revive its international competitiveness by proposing a series of drastic wage cuts and an extension in working hours. … Continue reading The 1926 General Strike and Parliamentary Democracy