The House of Cromwell: Britain's Forgotten Dynasty

by Miranda Malins

Genres: History, Nonfiction

480 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication December 8, 2026

About the author

Miranda is a writer and historian specialising in the history of Oliver Cromwell, his family and the politics of the Interregnum period following the Civil Wars. She studied at Cambridge University, leaving with a PhD, and continues to speak at conferences and publish journal articles and book reviews. She is also a Trustee of the Cromwell Association. Alongside this, Miranda works as a commercial solicitor in the City and began writing historical novels on maternity leave. She lives in Hampshire with her husband, young son and cat Keats. Her debut novel, The Puritan Princess, is published in 2020.

Reviews

[sniksnak · Rating 4 out of 5]

An original history that intricately weaves together the lives of two of Britain’s most formidable commoners, Thomas Cromwell and his descendant Oliver, as part of one remarkable family.
Emerging from a humble blacksmith’s yard in Putney, Thomas ascended to the position of Henry VIII’s chief minister, orchestrating the break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries, which transformed England. A century later, his relative Oliver, raised in a modest home in Huntingdon, led parliamentary forces to triumph, signed a king’s death warrant, and governed as Lord Protector from the very palaces once graced by royalty. Between them lay a tapestry of marriages, ambitions, and resilient women whose voices Miranda Malins thoughtfully revives.
With flair and profound insight, she traces the family’s tumultuous journey across two centuries, from the Wars of the Roses to the Hanoverians, uncovering how familial bonds shaped the men who shaped the nation. This is the first comprehensive portrait of Britain’s most disruptive non royal dynasty, a history that feels vibrant and alive. It’s essential reading for anyone captivated by the human drama behind power.

**I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
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[Megan Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute testament to the love Malins has for her work. This was nothing like a “typical” history book, and often read more like a novel. I found myself lost in the story of Oliver and Thomas, and I learnt so much about not only them but Britain at the time.
I will be recommending this to all my fellow history lovers.
Thank you net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this, I am very grateful.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads ARC Copy Win

If you are a British history buff you will enjoy this book of a family legacy most people would thought to be one just man who ended up having a legacy that most people did not recognize. It shows the
iinfluence that this family had on the royalty throughout generations. It is a look back at a time that we did not realize played a such historical role n Britain history. Straight forward basic factual read.