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One of the most commonly told stories about the #EnglishCivilWar is the damage done to our great #Cathedrals. Many tell tales of horses stabled in their nave by Parliamentary troops and iconoclasts smashing up the buildings... in this thread we'll examine if this is true! 1/8
There are currently 44 English Cathedrals and great churches listed by @engcathedrals - we've tried to find contemporary evidence in each case for what happened to them during the #EnglishCivilWar. Many list damage by 'Cromwellians' - but was the damage really by Cromwell? 2/8
2 modern cathedrals didn't exist even as parish churches in the 1640s - we've included those that were parish churches at the time. 12 cathedrals suffered no major damage during the period, such as @CovCathedral (pictured) or @wabbey, as they were in Parliamentarian towns... 3/8
3 cathedrals were badly damaged in sieges as they were used as strongpoints, such as @PortsmouthCath. 3 other cathedrals like @Bfdcathedral (pictured) were damaged by Royalist forces during sieges or when looting a town, 2 were used as billets for troops like @StPaulsLondon 4/8
2 cathedrals suffered damage when used as prisons for captured Royalists such as @StAlbansAbbey, 3 were damaged by Scots Covenanter forces like @CarlisleCath, 3 cathedrals such as @Nrw_Cathedral suffered iconoclastic damage at the hands of local Puritans in their community. 5/8
13 cathedrals were badly damaged by Parliamentary forces looting and vandalizing them, commanded by men other that Cromwell during the #EnglishCivilWar. Sir William Waller and his troops seem to have the worst record for damage including @WinCathedral & @ChiCathedral... 6/8
How many cathedrals did troops commanded by Cromwell vandalize...? One! Most of these acts tended to take place in 1642/3 when he was only a minor commander based in East Anglia. His troops did do serious damage to @pborocathedral in April 1643, which can be seen today. 7/8
The reasons for the damage wrought to our churches & cathedrals during the #EnglishCivilWar are varied & complex - this thread is designed to perhaps challenge some preconceptions. 
This piece by @Cromwellorg goes into a bit more detail: http://www.olivercromwell.org/wordpress/?page_id=1827 #17thCentury 8/8
This piece by @Cromwellorg goes into a bit more detail: http://www.olivercromwell.org/wordpress/?page_id=1827 #17thCentury 8/8
