The 17th Century
A Time of Turmoil
The 17th Century was a period of major change in England, particularly during the 1640s when the country was plunged into civil war.
The war not only caused division across the country, it divided families between those who supported King Charles I and those who supported Parliament. It’s for this reason I chose the war years, and those before and after, as the setting for my next family saga:
The Merchants of London
The saga will span the years 1641-1660 and is predominantly set in the City of London, the square mile of land to the north of the River Thames, which, at the time, was enclosed within the medieval city walls.
The City itself didn’t see any of the direct fighting that scarred much of the rest of the country but that doesn’t mean it remained a haven of tranquility. There was often unrest on the streets and politics was very high on the agenda for many merchants.
As with my previous family sagas this one has been inspired by my family history research.
Three Families is the first book in the series and fictionalises the lives of three branches of the same family as they declare their support for different sides of the conflict.
Over time, the pages of this website will share the background information relevant to the storyline as well as of the lives and livelihoods of the main characters involved.
I hope you’ll find it interesting.
Available so far:
Why was there an English Civil War?
The King, Parliament and the Bishops
Royal and Episcopal Palaces in London in the 1640s
The City of London – Within the Walls
The City of London – Without the Walls
Governance in the City of London
Women’s Clothing in 1600s England
Men’s Clothing in 1600s England
Common Drinks in Early 1600s England
Drinking Vessels in Early 1600s England
Christmas and the English Civil War
