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The Political and Religious Contribution of Presbyterianism in and around Manchester to the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 Stephen Harper (1318392) N/A <p dir="ltr">This thesis offers a revised interpretation of the political and religious dynamics that shaped the collapse of the English republic and the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660–61. It argues that the crisis of 1659–60 cannot be explained solely through elite negotiation, military manoeuvre, or a resurgence of royalism, but must be understood as the culmination of sustained provincial resistance in north-west England, rooted in religious institutions, political culture, and organisational capacity. Focusing on south-east Lancashire and north-east Cheshire, the study places the Presbyterian Church in and around Manchester at the centre of analysis. From the mid-1640s, Manchester developed into the most cohesive and politically engaged Presbyterian stronghold in England outside London. Through institutions such as the Lancashire Classis, its clergy articulated a political theology that combined Calvinist doctrine, parliamentary sovereignty, and hostility to military coercion. This clerical infrastructure sustained political coherence across successive regime changes, enabling opposition to survive repression under the Rump Parliament, adapt under the Protectorate, and be reactivated when political circumstances shifted.</p><p dir="ltr">The thesis examines Sir George Booth’s rebellion of August 1659 as the moment at which this regional political culture was mobilised in practice. Booth acted as the agent through whom clerical fears and gentry dissatisfaction with military-backed government were translated into coordinated political action. Although the rising was defeated militarily, it exposed the fragility of the Rump–army partnership, legitimised calls for constitutional reform, and contributed to the free-parliament movement of early 1660. In doing so, it formed part of the pressures that shaped General Monck’s change of course.</p><p dir="ltr">By foregrounding Manchester Presbyterianism, this study reframes interpretations of the late Interregnum, demonstrating that provincial religious institutions were not peripheral but integral to the destabilisation of military government and the political transformations that made the Restoration possible.</p> 2026-09-30T15:29:34Z Text Thesis 10.83056/mmu.34033467.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/The_Political_and_Religious_Contribution_of_Presbyterianism_in_and_around_Manchester_to_the_Restoration_of_the_Monarchy_in_1660/34033467 CC BY-NC-ND 4.0