MARK TURNBULL

After a visit to Helmsley Castle, North Yorkshire, at the age of 10, Mark Turnbull bought a pack of cards that featured the monarchs of England. The card portraying King Charles I fascinated him.

Van Dyck's regal portrait of the king and the fact that he was executed proved the beginning of Mark's passionate interest in Charles I and the Wars of the three Kingdoms that has stayed with him ever since.

In the absence of time travel, he thoroughly enjoys bringing this period to life through writing. He has written articles for magazines, newspapers and online educational sites. He has also re-enacted battles with The Sealed Knot and for several years edited the Historical Novel Society's online newsletter. 

Mark produces a podcast dedicated to the period called 'CavalierCast - The Civil War in Words'and is a regional chair of the Battlefields Trust. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.