Historians have estimated that during the English Civil wars (1642-1649), perhaps as many as 7% of the population died as a result of the fighting and from the diseases spread by moving armies. People from all parts of society were impacted by these wars, including women. Many were the wives and mothers of soldiers, some of whom never returned from war, as well as actively fighting and carrying out other wartime activities such as nursing.

Stephen Barker has worked on behalf of the University of Oxford, the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, Banbury Museum and over thirty different organisations over the last twenty years. He makes over fifty presentations per year and operates a number of British Civil war tours.

• Cash bar opens 7.30pm; talk 8pm. All welcome.

• Members free (£25 for joint membership, £15 for single membership for the year); non-members £3 on the door.

• Finstock Village Hall