The Seventeenth century was a period of important Parliamentary activity, and religious conflict. New peers and politicians rose, and were given land and money. Although they lived in London to be able to maintain power and royal favour, their homes were back in the countryside.

The wealth was unequally distributed. Whilst approximately half of the families in England were not earning enough to live, the nobility was not worried about spending huge amounts of money, or even running up debts. For example, peasants were lucky to earn £4 a year whilst the average income of the nobility was £10,000 a year.

Under Cromwell's ruling, the Sabbath day, or the observance of going to church on Sundays , was enforced; gambling, alehouses, theatres, races, cockfights and duels were banned. Perhaps because of this repression, most people, not only puritans, were obsessed with sin and punishment.

However, it was also an age of new scientific thought, with men like Sir Francis Bacon, Sir Isaac Newton, Dr William Harvey and Robert Boyle, making remarkable discoveries.

Diagram of some key events of the Seventeenth century (or list of key events; both links open in new windows).