Character assassination (From Warrington Guardian)

Character assassination of Oliver Cromwell

11:26am Thursday 10th May 2012 in Letters

I WAS more than a little disappointed with Mr Hammond’s letter in which he calls Oliver Cromwell a monster, and asks why we have this statue in our town.

I assume Mr Hammond’s reference to him taking his New Model Army to Ireland and his other comments regarding the setting fire to people in a church and the death of priests is a reference to Oliver Cromwell’s doings at Drogheda and Wexford.

From my own reading of these particular incidents I have come to the conclusion that what we have is a series of claims and counter-claims and I dare say not a little ‘character assassination’.

The problem with Mr Hammond’s statement is that The Lord Protector has been dead some 400 years and neither Mr Hammond nor myself were there at the time.

Oliver Cromwell has been called ‘The greatest Englishman that ever lived’, the architect of our parliamentary democracy and a brilliant military tactician. For these reasons alone that statue is well placed in our town. Interestingly, in its new position looking out across the Mersey from Lancashire into Cheshire.

As to Oliver Cromwell holding a Bible and Mr Hammond’s doubt as to him being a Christian, may I say that only the last great day will reveal that and Mr Hammond needs to make sure that there is no doubt as to his being a Christian on that day.

BRYAN R GREGORY Orford