Open Cambridge caught up with Rosie Sharkey, Heritage Education Officer at Great St Mary's Church, to find out more about the Church and their event ‘Cromwell (warts and all!)’ which is on Saturday 12 September.

OC: What role has Great St Mary’s played in the history of Cambridge? 

RS: Great St Mary’s is pretty iconic. It’s the official centre of Cambridge, where milestones are measured from, and has been a place where town and gown met (and often fought) for over 800 years.

We were here before the University of Cambridge. The earliest written record of the parish church next to the market comes from 1205, but it had probably been here for a while by then.

When the scholars arrived from Oxford in 1209 they adopted ‘St Mary’s by the Market’ as a convenient space for lectures, meetings and graduation ceremonies. So we’re known as the University Church and graduations actually took place here until 1730, which is when the Senate House was built.

At the same time, Great St Mary’s remained a parish church for local people to worship and mark family births, marriages and deaths. Rivalries between town and gown sometimes spilled over into violence in the church – during the Peasants’ Revolt, angry townspeople stole the University chest from Great St Mary’s and burned it.

Kings and queens usually visited Great St Mary’s when they came to Cambridge. Henry VII donated 100 oaks for our roof, Elizabeth I gave a rousing Latin speech here, and James I forced the vicar to demolish the church gallery. Mary I even had an academic’s body dug up and publicly burned for his Protestant beliefs.

The English Civil War of the mid-17th century was a turbulent time for Cambridge, with most of the University supporting the King, and most townsfolk backing Parliament and their MP, Oliver Cromwell.

Today, Great St Mary’s still links the city and University. We host University and civic celebrations and the congregation continues the unbroken tradition of Christian worship that stretches back before our first written records.

OC: What do you enjoy most about working for the Church? 

RS: My job as Heritage Education Officer exists thanks to Heritage Lottery funding. It’s really varied and fulfilling so it’s hard to pick a favourite aspect.

I do love finding out about exciting stories of Cambridge, like the tiny, slime-covered book found in a cod’s stomach by a woman on the market in 1626.

Running sessions for schools and local families is always great. One little boy from Shirley Primary recently said he thought the Church was like a huge upside-down ship. He was so chuffed to find out that people agreed with him hundreds of years ago, and named the nave after a boat. Helping kids to feel a connection with the past and seeing it through their eyes is a joy!

OC: Have there been any particular challenges so far?

RS: Two things, really – volunteers and visibility.

We really need to recruit a core team of keen volunteers who can make a regular commitment to help welcome visitors, give tours and help with school sessions. We have no shortage of research volunteers, but I’d love to find some more volunteers with a background in education and time to offer us.

The second thing is that tourists and local families don’t yet think of Great St Mary’s as a historic venue full of fun things to do. Our interactive touchscreens all about the history of Cambridge are being installed soon. We now offer brass rubbing. And we’re constantly expanding our free kids’ activities. We just need time and wider publicity to attract more visitors to explore it all.

OC: Can you provide a little detail about Cromwell (warts and all!) – the live event for the Open Cambridge weekend?

RS: Cromwell (warts and all) is a free family event with lots of fun activities to take part in. There's no need to book, just turn up and stay as long as you like. Great St Mary’s will be open from 11am – 4pm.

Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector, will be at Great St Mary’s to lay down the law so everybody must be on their best behaviour. The year is 1655 and Cromwell rules the land with an iron fist after winning the English Civil Wars with his Ironsides. Anyone stepping out of line will be put in the stocks and have cabbages thrown at them, especially people foolish enough to say it was better when King Charles was in charge. 

Meet grouchy Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan people of Cambridge. Help them crush anything associated with the King or popishness – stained glass will be smashed and the King's prayer book will be publicly destroyed.   

Cromwell and the Puritans may have banned Christmas celebrations but they haven't made enjoyment illegal. Join in the dancing and songs from 1655 and even indulge in drinking hot chocolate – the trendy new drink!

OC: Who is involved in Cromwell (warts and all)?

RS: Matthew Ward and Gill Fraser Lee of HistoryNeedsYou will be portraying Cromwell and his secretary. Matthew has appeared on TV in Horrible Histories, including the Cromwell at Christmas sketch, and is well known for making history fun.  

Gill and Matthew were the Directors of our spectacular Elizabethan Pageant for last year’s Open Cambridge, so we are in safe hands.

Portraying the people of Cambridge are a team of multi-talented historical interpreters from Kentwell Hall. Music will be provided by Tamsin Lewis and Passamezzo, who performed at the Gloriana concert for Open Cambridge 2014. Together, they will be teaching visitors dances and songs from 1655, showing that being a Puritan wasn't all doom and gloom.

OC: Are there particular challenges to consider when organising a live historical event? 

RS: Live events are a big logistical jigsaw, ensuring that all the pieces fit together smoothly to make a great event, and that the actors and vital supporting team of volunteers know their roles and responsibilities.

Organising last year’s Elizabethan pageant was the highlight of 2014 for me, but there were a few unforeseen challenges.

Some things are hard to predict. A wedding in St John’s College Chapel overran before our event, so I was hovering outside the door as the royal trumpeters approached, desperate for the service to be over so that we didn’t upstage the bride with Queen Elizabeth I and her entire retinue. Her Majesty was also faced with a bin lorry driving towards her on Trinity Street, which was a little awkward. The immovable object of the bin lorry was soon shifted by the irresistible force of will of the Queen's Lady in Waiting.

Great St Mary's is looking forward to another memorable event for Open Cambridge on Saturday 12 September.


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