With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Naseby site 'not English enough' for battle film

The producers of a new bodice-ripping drama featuring scenes from the Battle of Naseby have decided to film the show in South Africa rather than England, claiming it is cheaper and looks more English.

Channel Four's The Devil's Whore will show key historical moments from the civil war, including the Battle of Naseby and the execution of King Charles I.
But rather than using historic locations such as the Naseby Battlefield in Northamptonshire, the crew behind the project chose countryside north of Cape Town in South Africa.

Northamptonshire County Council's cabinet member for culture, Councillor Ursula Jones (Con, Wicksteed), who is also a keen amateur historian, said the decision was a surprise.

She said: "I do think it's a shame that they couldn't use the historic site because it has been so well preserved.
"I would love to have seen them filming here. It would have been really nice because the site has been so well looked after."

The programme shows events through the eyes of Angelica Fanshawe, a 17-year-old who becomes friendly with leading Parliamentarians, including Oliver Cromwell and Thomas Gainsborough.
Read entire article at http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk