CIVIL WAR IN THE TRENT VALLEY by Andrew Polkey

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Having waited for many years for someone to bring the story of
the Civil War locally to a wider audience, the author reluctantly
began the task himself some three years ago. This slender book
is quarried from an as yet unpublished and far larger and more
detailed work, dealing with the years 1642-46.

Three hundred and fifty years ago, at Nottingham, King
Charles | conceded to the fact that a de facto state of war
existed in his kingdom, and began to raise an army. What
followed was an unthinkable war between families, between
communities and localities; this being the story of warfare in
one small region of the kingdom. No attempt has been made to
examine the causes of the conflict, but to concentrate almost
exclusively on the military events within the region, with
particular emphasis on the litthe-known participation of the
Derbyshire forces

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born in Derby, Andrew Polkey attended Derby School in the
1960s and took an honours degree in History at King's
College, London University, and taught History for a few years
in Nottingham before making a career change and studying
Law. He now teaches Law at Burton Technical College and
lives in Burton, a few feet away from the River Trent. Though
Law ts his wife, History is his mistress, and Andrew prefers to
think of himself primarily as a local historian,

His interests include canoeing, astrology and genealogy — he
has traced his surname back to Devon in 1494 — and together
with his son Thomas, he has for many years been a keen
participant in the activities of the Sealed Knot; the Society of
Cavaliers and Roundheads. With the SK he has travelled the
country, taking part in the re-enactment of many Civil War
engagements. ‘History,’ he believes, ‘is about putting your
boots on and tramping the landscape; you can learn more
about the past by actually being in a place, than you can by just
reading old records,’

Taking part in the recreation of Civil War encounters has taught
what a frightful and terrible event the reality must have been.
The oppression, suffering and sheer misery of those times is
difficult to imagine. It is a popular misconception that the war
between King and Parliament was a glamorous and romantic
affair. Proportionately, it was more catastrophic than the
1914-18 war.

A5. Wire bound.