NAM 1988-11-1
From foreign invasion to contests for the crown, from civil war at home to rebellion in the Colonies, this gallery investigates the Army’s role in creating and defending the nation state of Great Britain we know today.
The displays tell the story of the British and their Army from 1066 through to 1783, a period that witnessed both the forging of the modern nation state and the creation of a distinct British national identity. It was also an era marked by overseas expansion and the beginnings of a trading empire.
The gallery also explores wider themes such as the control and organization of the army, the daily life of the soldier and civilian perceptions of the Army.
The displays
NAM 1975-08-58
Life-size figures in the gallery include an Agincourt archer, a Burgundian hand gunner, a Royalist cavalryman and an 18th century Rifleman of the Queen’s Rangers.
Visitors can try on an English Civil War helmet (1642-1651), and feel the weight of a contemporary cannon ball and chain-mail armour. The difficult and dangerous life of the British Redcoat and the world he lived and fought in is brought to life by interactive sound and visual displays.
