Winchester and Compton in the English Civil War
- Memorable stories about politicians, soldiers, clergymen, and ordinary people in the Compton and Winchester area.
- The surprising history of many surviving buildings.
Speaker Dr. Alex Beeton has a long term interest in local history, the Civil War and its effect on education[1]“Not infected with the vermine of the times”?: Commonwealth Educational Reform and the Parliamentary Visitation of Winchester College, 1649–50
Alex is a research fellow at the History of Parliament Trust specialising on the House of Lords between 1640-60.
Whilst studying for his DPhil, Alex gave several talks on the impact of the Civil War as part of the annual Hampshire Heritage Open Days[2]War Reaches Hampshire: Catastrophe in the Cathedral [3]The State, the School and the Sugarloaf: Winchester College and the Civil Wars.
Details:
- 7:30pm Weds 12 November 2025
- Compton Sports Pavilion
- Open to all – no charge
- Bar open from 7pm
With thanks to Sarah Townley FRPS for permission to use her images of the 2024 Battle of Cheriton[4]Wikipedia – Battle of Cheriton re-enactment.
For many years, the story of the Civil War Captain Barnard[5]Footprints from the past – Place Lane was kept alive by the pub named after him.
Winchester and Compton in the English Civil War
About the talk
The Civil War left its mark on Winchester.
Its cathedral was sacked; its castle was destroyed; and some of history’s most famous figures made dramatic appearances on its streets.
As a strategically important city, housing one of England’s wealthiest bishoprics and among its largest schools, the old capital of Wessex was bitterly contested by roundheads and cavaliers.
Compton was not insulated from what happened in Winchester.
In this talk, Alex Beeton discusses the rich, violent, and often surprising history of both during the 1640s and 1650s.
7:30pm Wednesday 12 November 2025
at Compton Sports Pavilion
Open to all
Free to attend.
References
| ↑1 | “Not infected with the vermine of the times”?: Commonwealth Educational Reform and the Parliamentary Visitation of Winchester College, 1649–50 |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | War Reaches Hampshire: Catastrophe in the Cathedral |
| ↑3 | The State, the School and the Sugarloaf: Winchester College and the Civil Wars |
| ↑4 | Wikipedia – Battle of Cheriton |
| ↑5 | Footprints from the past – Place Lane |
