CALL FOR PAPERS: The Revolt of the Provinces: Local Dimensions of the English Civil War
A one-day conference, organised by the Lincoln Record Society,
to be held at the National Civil War Centre, Newark
on Saturday 17 October 2026.
Call for Papers deadline – Monday 20 April 2026.
In 1976, John Morrill’s seminal work The Revolt of the Provinces energised local studies of the English Civil War. Rather than focus on constitutional clashes at Westminster, it shifted attention to the shires, boroughs and localities in which civil war allegiances were forged, negotiated and contested. For most living in England at the time, the county rather than the country was their main frame of reference: when war came, the forces of localism and neutralism were often as strong as ideological attachment to parliamentarianism or royalism. Fifty years on, Morrill’s view of a conflict that was defined by local perspectives remains vital, stimulating ongoing debates about the dynamic and complex relationship between centre and locality in the early modern period.
This conference, hosted by the Lincoln Record Society at the National Civil War Centre in Newark will seek to explore and reassess the local and regional perspective of the English Civil War. In the spirit of Morrill’s work, papers are invited that engage with the core theme of the local dimensions of the conflict.
While not exhaustive, possible issues include:
– Taking sides, changing sides and the nature of civil war allegiance, neutralism, mobilisation and conflict at a local, county or regional level.
– Local and regional experiences of the civil wars, including the impact of the conflict on local governance, society, and economy.
– Popular politics and popular allegiance: the conflict from the perspective of those below the nobility and gentry.
– The relationship between centre and locality and its role in explaining the causes or nature of the civil wars.
– The dissemination, reception and impact of news, propaganda and other forms of communication in the localities.
– The legacy, memory and commemoration of the civil wars at a local and regional level.
While papers addressing any aspect of the local dimensions of the Civil Wars of the 1640s and their aftermath are welcome, proposals focusing primarily, or largely, on Lincolnshire or the East Midlands are especially encouraged.
Submission details
It is envisaged that the conference will be arranged into panels, each with two to three papers of 20 to 30 minutes each. We invite papers from academics and researchers across all career stages, including early career researchers and graduate students. Proposals for papers, of no more than 350 words in length, should be sent with a brief biographical note to Dr Jon Fitzgibbons at [email protected] by Monday 20 April 2026. Panel proposals of two or three papers are also welcome.
Notification of acceptance will be given by Monday 11 May 2026. A selection of papers may be considered for publication in a future volume or special issue connected with the conference. The conference fee and reasonable travel expenses will be paid to speakers.