Dr Stephen Roberts

Current Research

Former Editor Commons 1640-1660

History of Parliament Research

After recently retiring from the Directorship of the History, I am now returning to work on a number of historical projects. I am starting to revise biographies and constituency articles I have written for the forthcoming House of Commons 1640-60 volumes, beginning with those on counties of the English midlands. Alongside colleagues in the 1640-60 Section, I will also be working on the analytical Survey that will accompany this set of History of Parliament volumes. I am also hoping to bring to fruition an edition of the Latin diary of Sir Simonds D’Ewes, MP for Sudbury in the Long Parliament.

Away from parliamentary history, I am currently president of the Devon and Cornwall Record Society, a vice-president of the Cromwell Association and a council member of the Worcestershire Historical Society, the Dugdale Society and the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion.

Research and Publications

Among my publications are

'"One of the Least Things in Religion": The Welsh Experience of Church Polity, 1640-1660', in Hunter Powell, Elliot Vernon (eds.), Church Polity in the British Atlantic World, c. 1636-1689 (Manchester UP, 2019)  

‘Cardiganshire and the State, 1540-1689’, in Geraint H. Jenkins, Richard Suggett and Eryn M. White (eds.), Cardiganshire County History, Vol. II (University of Wales Press, 2019)

‘The Uses of Scribal Publication in the Making of a Royalist: Henry Townshend of Worcestershire, his “diary” and Parliament’, Midland History lxi (2016)

(Ed. with Stephen Porter, Ian Roy), The Diary and Papers of Henry Townshend, 1640-1663 (Worcs. Hist. Soc. new series, xxv, 2015)

'State and Society in the English Revolution', in M. Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook to the English Revolution (OUP, 2015)

‘The Legacy of Oliver Cromwell in the UK Parliament, 1660-2009’, in Jane A Mills (ed.), Cromwell’s Legacy (Manchester UP, 2012)

‘The Reputation and Authority of the Speaker and the Speakership of the House of Commons, 1640-60’, in P. Seaward (ed.), Speakers and the Speakership (Parliamentary History Yearbook Trust, 2010)

‘One that would sit well at the mark’: the early parliamentary career of Oliver Cromwell, 1640-42’, in P. Little (ed.), Oliver Cromwell: New Perspectives (Palgrave, 2009)

‘The House of Commons, 1640-1660’, in Clyve Jones (ed.), A Short History of Parliament (Boydell & Brewer, 2009)

‘Propagating the Gospel in Wales: the making of the 1650 Act’, Trans. Hon. Society of Cymmrodorion new series, ix (2004)

‘The 1656 Election, Polling and Public Opinion: A Warwickshire Case Study’, Parliamentary History, xxiii (3), 2004

(Ed.)  A Ministry of Enthusiasm. Centenary Essays on the Workers' Educational Association (Pluto Press, 2003)

‘How the West Was Won: Religion, Politics and the Military in South Wales, 1642-9’, Welsh History Review xxi (4) (2003)

(Ed.) The Letter-Book of John Byrd, Customs Collector in South-East Wales, 1648-80 (South Wales Record Society, xiv, 1999)

'Juries and the Middling Sort: Recruitment and Performance at Devon Quarter Sessions, 1649-1670', in T A Green, J S Cockburn (eds.), Twelve Good Men and True: The Criminal Trial Jury in England, 1200-1800 (Princeton UP, 1988)

(Ed., with C. Jones, M. Newitt), Politics and People in Revolutionary England: Essays for Ivan Roots (Blackwell, 1986)

'Public or private? Revenge and Recovery at the Restoration of Charles II', Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, lix (1986)

Recovery and Restoration in an English County: Devon Local Administration 1646-1670 (Exeter University Press, 1985)

'Initiative and Control: the Devon Quarter Sessions Grand Jury 1649-70' in Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, lvii (1984)

'Alehouses, Brewing and Government under the Early Stuarts', Southern History ii (1980)