THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR

Another of Dilip’s great interests is the English Civil War – not surprising given that he hails from Worcester, where, it is famously said, that ‘England’s sorrows’ began and ended there. This is because the first engagement of the wars was fought on Powick Bridge, near Worcester, by the Horse of King and Parliament, on 23 September 1642, and the final, decisive, battle of the wars was also fought at Worcester on 3 September 1651.

Referring to primary sources, Dilip provided a new interpretation of the Battle of Powick Bridge in his ‘Battle of Powick Bridge: Ambush a Fore-thought’. This work finally proved that the long accepted version of events, i.e. that Prince Rupert was caught completely unawares by the Roundhead force whilst resting in Wick Fields was actually contrary to the evidence and as the official Royalist historian, Edward Hyde, the Earl of Clarendon, claimed. Moreover, the Parliamentarian defeat was not the responsibility of Nathaniel Fiennes MP, who, again the evidence confirmed, was not actually in command.

Dilip has also made a considerable effort to research certain aspects of the 1651 battle, which saw Charles II defeated and the Royalist cause finally crushed by Cromwell. In due course he will be publishing some original historiography on this aspect of Early Modern England’s turbulent history.

Dilip provides fascinating and lively presentations on his English Civil War research – please contact him direct for details.

Original historiography: a new interpretation from expert researcher and historian Dilip Sarkar.

Concerned that the 1651 Battle of Worcester was in danger of being forgotten, it was Dilip’s initiative that led to the first of what is now an annual service of remembrance held on Fort Royal, Worcester, on the battle’s anniversary. This is the first such occasion in September 2006.

Musketeers fire a volley over Worcester at the 2009 Drumhead Service of Remembrance.

Keeping it in the family: Dilip and Karen Sarkar with Dilip’s re-enactor son, James, recreating a pikeman of the King’s Life Guard of Foote,
at Worcester Cathedral.