Abstract

This article examines Cromwell's creation of an "Other House" in 1657, designed to replace the void left by the abolition of the House of Lords in 1649. It suggests that the experiment was not as conservative as it seemed. Rather, it illuminates many important aspects of Cromwell’s politics - not least his relationship with parliament, his attitude towards the nobility, his views on hereditary office and, most importantly, his vision for settlement.