Devizes Arts Festival – historical fiction author talk
2025-06-14 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/London) | Wiltshire Museum, 41 Long Street, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1NS, United Kingdom
Devizes in Civil War fiction – author talk
Devizes Arts Festival – historical fiction author talk ‘Devizes in Civil War fiction’. Charles Cordell will be talking about writing historical fiction and Divided Kingdom book #2 – The Keys of Hell and Death. He will describe the background to his books and why the English Civil War hung in the balance at the 1643 Siege of Devizes. Q&A and a book signing will follow the talk.
Divided Kingdom – English Civil War historical fiction series
Charles Cordell is the author of English Civil War historical fiction series Divided Kingdom. His writing has received praise and editorial reviews from The Times. The likes of Ben Kane (bestselling author), David Gilman (award winning author), Professor Ronald Hutton CBE (TV historian) and others have given their endorsements.
Divided Kingdom book #2 – The Keys of Hell and Death – follows the Western campaign of 1643. The story opens with the brutal Battle of Lansdown Hill. Its characters – ordinary men and women – face each other and the terrible reality of war. They must survive the Siege of Devizes, the Battle of Roundway Down and the ferocious 1643 Storming of Bristol.
Devizes Arts Festival – historical fiction author talk
To join this Devizes Arts Festival historical fiction talk please do check details on the Devizes Arts Festival 2025 events page. You can book places online and/or visit the festival ticket office in person at Devizes Books. If you can, come along and join the debate.
If you can’t make this event, copies of Charles Cordell’s books are available from Waterstones, Foyles and good independent bookshops, including Devizes Books. They are also available online from Amazon, Bookshop.org and Booktopia. Please do check out the book pages for reviews and links at Charles Cordell Books. You can also loan copies from UK libraries, including Wiltshire Libraries.
As well as this author talk, Charles Cordell will also be leading the Devizes Arts Festival 2025 walk. The walk will explore the often forgotten Siege of Devizes 1643 and why the English Civil War hung in the balance on the bed cords of Devizes.
More Author Talks, Book Signings & Battlefield Walks
For more author talks, signings and battlefield walks with Charles Cordell, please check out Charles Cordell Events.
If you think others would like this event, please click, share and spread the word via email or your social media:

Siege of Devizes 1643 – Devizes Arts Festival walk
2025-06-15 10:00 - 12:00 | St James’s Church, 1 Church Walk, Devizes, SN10 3AA, United Kingdom
Siege of Devizes 1643 – Devizes Arts Festival walk
The Siege of Devizes 1643 – the Devizes Arts Festival 2025 walk. Author Charles Cordell will lead a guided battlefield walk of the key sites and events of 9-13 July 1643. The walk will explore how the English Civil War hung in the balance on the bed cords of Devizes. It will explain Prince Maurice’s breakout, the Parliamentary bombardment and assault. Last but not least, Charles Cordell will discuss the final relief at the Battle of Roundway Down.
Devizes Arts Festival 2025 – the festival walk
The meeting point for the Siege of Devizes walk will be at St Jame’s Church, on the Green, at 10:00, on Sunday 15 June. The walk will aim to end at the Market Place at approximately 12:00 with an opportunity for further discussion in a nearby inn.
To join the Devizes Arts Festival 2025 walk please check details on the Devizes Arts Festival 2025 events page. You can book places online and/or visit the ticket office in person at Devizes Books. If you can make it, do sign up and join the discussion.
If desired, but not necessary, background reading is available on this website at: English Civil War Notes and Maps. This includes articles on The General Crisis of the 17th Century, the English Revolution and the Siege of Devizes in 1643.
Devizes in Civil War fiction – Devizes Arts Festival author talk
As well as the festival walk, Charles Cordell will be giving an author talk during Devizes Arts Festival 2025. He will be talking about Divided Kingdom book #2 – The Keys of Hell and Death – and Devizes in Civil War fiction. He will describe the background to his books and the exploits of the Western Army of 1643. Q&A and a book signing will follow the talk on Saturday 14 June.
Charles Cordell is the author of English Civil War historical fiction series Divided Kingdom. His writing has received praise and editorial reviews from The Times. The likes of Ben Kane (bestselling author), David Gilman (award winning author), Professor Ronald Hutton CBE (TV historian) and others have given their endorsements.
Divided Kingdom book #2 – The Keys of Hell and Death – follows the Western campaign of 1643. The story opens with the brutal Battle of Lansdown Hill. Its characters – ordinary men and women – face each other and the terrible reality of war. They must survive the Siege of Devizes, the Battle of Roundway Down and the ferocious 1643 Storming of Bristol.
If you can’t make these events, copies of Charles Cordell’s books are available from Waterstones, Foyles and good independent bookshops, including Devizes Books. They are also available online from Amazon, Bookshop.org and Booktopia. Please do check out the book pages for reviews and links at Charles Cordell Books. You can also loan copies from UK libraries, including Wiltshire Libraries.
More Author Talks, Book Signings & Battlefield Walks
For more author talks, signings and battlefield walks with Charles Cordell, please check out Charles Cordell Events.
If you think others would like this event, please click, share and spread the word via email or your social media:

Battle of Lostwithiel 1644 – battlefield walk & talk
2025-08-31 10:30 - 16:00 | Lostwithiel Community Centre, Pleyber Christ Way, Lostwithiel, PL22 0HA, United Kingdom
Battle of Lostwithiel 1644 – the King’s decisive victory
The Battle of Lostwithiel 1644 was an English Civil War battle involving four armies and a navy, fought across ten square miles over ten long days. This is an opportunity to explore this nationally significance Cornish battlespace with two walks in one day.
Lostwithiel & Castle Dore – battlefield walks & talks
A morning walk (10:30-12:30) around Lostwithiel will outline the tightening royalist siege. It will cover the breakout of Essex’s horse and the explosion that destroyed St Bartholomew’s Church and much of the town.
An afternoon walk (14:00-16:00) to Castle Dore will discuss the parliamentarian withdrawal into the Fowey peninsula. It will consider navy re-supply and the battle across Tywardreath – Castle Dore – Gollant. It will end with the final surrender of Essex’s army.
Please check out the Battlefield Trust website for details. And sign up if you would like to join either of these walks. Unfortunately, the trust must limit the number of walkers it can take.
The Battlefields Trust – protecting Britain’s battlefields
These Battle of Lostwithiel 1644 walks will be free for Battlefield Trust members. Non-members will be asked to make a (small) donation to the trust to support its work in protecting and promoting understanding of Britain’s battlefields.
For more author talks and battlefield walks with Charles Cordell, please check out Charles Cordell Events.

Writing Historical Fiction – Delapre Abbey author talk
2025-09-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Delapre Abbey, London Road, Northampton, NN4 8AW, United Kingdom
Writing Historical Fiction – author talk
Writing historical fiction – an author talk. Charles Cordell will be talking about writing historical fiction and Divided Kingdom book #2 – The Keys of Hell and Death. He will describe his journey from Army to Author and writing historical fiction set within the English Civil War. Q&A and a book signing will follow the talk.
Divided Kingdom – English Civil War historical fiction series
Charles Cordell is the author of English Civil War historical fiction series Divided Kingdom. His writing has received praise and editorial reviews from The Times. The likes of Ben Kane (bestselling author), David Gilman (award winning author), Professor Ronald Hutton CBE (TV historian) and others have given their endorsements.
Divided Kingdom book #2 – The Keys of Hell and Death – follows the Western campaign of 1643. The story opens with the brutal Battle of Lansdown Hill. Its characters – ordinary men and women – face each other and the terrible reality of war. Amongst them, a pair of Northampton shoemaker’s apprentices must survive the Siege of Devizes, the Battle of Roundway Down and the ferocious Storming of Bristol.
Northamptonshire Battlefields Society – Delapré Abbey
To join this Writing Historical Fiction author talk, please do check details on the Northamptonshire Battlefields Society website. The event will be at Delapré Abbey and will be open to the public as well as members. Tickets will be available online via TicketSource from midday on the 1st of August. If you can, come along and join the debate.

Charles Cordell – books, talks & battlefield walks

If you can’t make this event, copies of Charles Cordell’s books are available from Waterstones, Foyles, and good independent bookshops, including The Oundle Bookshop. They are also available online from Amazon, Bookshop.org and Booktopia. Please do check out the book pages for reviews and links at Charles Cordell Books. You can also loan copies from UK libraries, including Northampton Central Library.
For more author talks and battlefield walks with Charles Cordell, please check out Charles Cordell Events.

Battle of Stratton 1643 - battlefield walk & talk
2026-05-10 10:30 - 12:30 | Preston Gate Inn, Poughill Road, Poughill, Bude, EX23 9ET, United Kingdom
Battle of Stratton 1643 – English Civil War turning point
The Battle of Stratton 1643 – a battle that turned the tide of the English Civil War in the West. This is an opportunity to explore a nationally significant Cornish battlefield. Join Charles Cordell on Sunday 10 May 2026 – ahead of the 382nd anniversary, 16 May 1643.
Battle of Stratton 1643 – Stamford Hill walk
The royalist victory at Stratton was hard-won. The Cornish foot defeated a well-positioned and numerically superior parliamentarian force on Stamford Hill outside Bude in Cornwall. The victorious Cornish Army then fought its way to Bath and the brutal Battle of Lansdown Hill. Sadly, it went on to sustain terrible losses at the Storming Bristol on 26 July 1643.
A morning walk will follow the lanes up which the Cornish foot fought. It will end at the Battle of Stratton memorial on Stamford Hill. The walk will last approximately two hours and will include discussion of the key role played by Cornwall in the English Civil War. Stout footwear is recommended.
The meeting point for the walk will be at the Preston Gate Inn in Poughill near Bude EX23 9ET (OS: SS 223078), at 10:30 on Sunday 10 May. Car parking at the pub is limited (please check with staff). However, there is a free village carpark at the cemetery, off Northcott Mouth Road (OS: SS 222079).
Although not part of this Battlefields Trust walk, those interested may wish to also visit St Andrew’s Church and/or the Tree Inn in Stratton. The church includes a good display of artifacts from the battlefield. The Tree Inn was the home of Anthony Payne the ‘Cornish Giant’. As steward and ensign to Sir Bevil Grenville, he fought at the battles of both Stratton and Lansdown Hill in 1643.
Please check out the Battlefield Trust website for more details. If you can, please do sign up ahead of this walk to give an indication of numbers.

The Battlefields Trust – protecting Britain’s battlefields

This Battle of Stratton 1643 walk will be free for Battlefield Trust members. Non-members are asked to make a (small) donation to the trust. This will support its work in protecting and promoting understanding of Britain’s battlefields. Donations (cash or online) can be made on the day of the walk.

For more author talks and battlefield walks with Charles Cordell, please check out Charles Cordell Events.

Battle of Worcester 375 – English Civil War fiction
2026-08-30 13:00 - 14:30 | The Commandery, Sidbury, Worcester, WR1 2HU, United Kingdom
English Civil War fiction – an author talk
Battle of Worcester 375 anniversary talk. Author Charles Cordell will be talking about writing historical fiction and Divided Kingdom book #2 – The Keys of Hell and Death. He will describe his journey from ‘Army to Author’ and writing historical fiction set within the English Civil War. The talk will discuss how and why 17th Century historical fiction can feel so relevant today. Q&A and a book signing will follow the talk.
Charles Cordell is the author of English Civil War historical fiction series Divided Kingdom. His writing has received media praise and editorial reviews, including in The Times. His novels have been endorsed by the likes of Ben Kane (bestselling author), David Gilman (award winning author), Professor Ronald Hutton CBE (TV historian) and others.
Battle of Worcester 375
This talk is part of a commemorative programme of events for the 375th anniversary of the Battle of Worcester, 1651. It will be held at The Commandery in Worcester, the site of the royalist HQ during the last battle of the English Civil War.
To join this English Civil War fiction author talk, please do check details on The Commandery website. If you can, come along and join the debate.
Charles Cordell – books, talks & battlefield walks
If you can’t make this event, copies of Charles Cordell’s books are available from Waterstones, Foyles, and good independent bookshops, including Worcester’s Script Haven bookshop. They are also available online from Amazon, Bookshop.org and Booktopia. Please do check out the book pages for reviews and links at Charles Cordell Books. You can also loan copies from UK libraries, including The Hive library in Worcester.
For more author talks and battlefield walks with Charles Cordell, please check out Charles Cordell Events.
