Mark Stoyle

Mark Stoyle, Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Southampton, dives deep into the English Civil War's complexities. He explores how propaganda shaped public opinion and discusses the significant human cost of the conflict. From the rise of the New Model Army and Oliver Cromwell's military innovations to the social divides between Royalists and Parliamentarians, Stoyle sheds light on the varied impacts of the war. He also highlights the lasting legacy and collective memory that continue to influence English society today.

Mark Stoyle, a historian specializing in the English Civil Wars, discusses the Puritan ban on Christmas in 1647. He reveals how this wasn't just a holiday suppression but a clash of beliefs, with festive families lighting candles in secret and even staging the plum pudding riots. Stoyle connects the resistance against the ban to Scotland's earlier experiences with Christmas. He highlights the cultural impact of the prohibition, linking it to later literary figures like Dickens and C.S. Lewis, while emphasizing the ban's social ramifications and the importance of community celebration.