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In 2026 the Cromwell Museum acquired an astonising item, a beautiful watch made in the 1640s by the London watchmaker William Clay. This ‘Puritan’ style watch also has a strong provenance to have belonged to Oliver Cromwell.

The watch was acquired after an 18 month fundraising campaign, with support from members of the public, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Art Fund. It is now on permanent display.

What is the story behind it though? This talk will look at the watch’s journey, including the Trial of Charles I, Cromwell’s infamous Irish campaign and Colonial America. It will also look at what the watch tells us about the technology of the 1600s – and the very nature of time and timekeeping that would seem very alien to us today.

Stuart is a graduate historian with postgraduate qualifications in Education and Museum Studies, who has worked in Museums and Heritage in East Anglia for over 20 years. Since February 2018 he has been Curator of the Cromwell Museum, leading on its acclaimed refurbishment and reinterpretation in 2020. He has a passion for history, which he enjoys sharing with people through his work, as well as writing books and articles, delivering talks and through regular broadcasts on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. Stuart has long had an interest in 17th Century history, and is also a Trustee of the Huntingdonshire History Festival, Chair of Peterborough Museum Society, a committee member of the Huntingdonshire History Society and an ex-officio member of the council of the Cromwell Association.

This talk will be recorded and put on a private channel after the ‘live talk’ for ticket holders to view at their leisure if they miss the live talk or wish to view them again.

This talk is part of a four part lecture series; for season tickets please click here:

We are delighted to welcome over four successive Wednesdays:

‘Time for the Protector: Oliver Cromwell’s Watch’

A talk by Stuart Orme on Wednesday 4 November at 7.30pm

‘‘The dimensions of this mercy are above my thoughts‘: Cromwell & the Battle of Worcester’

A talk by Professor Peter Gaunt on Wednesday 11 November at 7.30pm

‘Ranters Ranting during the English Revolution’

A talk by Dr Joel Halcomb on Wednesday 18 November at 7.30pm

‘The House of Cromwell: the Family that made Britain’

A talk by Dr Miranda Malins on Wednesday 25 November at 7.30pm

Click on the titles for more information and individual bookings.

PLEASE NOTE: These talks will be held online via Zoom. Joining details will be sent 48 hours before the talk.

Admission: £24 Adults (for 4 talks), £18 for students/Museum Members (for 4 talks); for individual talks £6.50 Adults, £5.00 students/Museum Members.