A Descriptive Reading List

Cox, J., 2015. Extract from a Conservation Statement for the former Chapel. London: Keystone Conservation

The Extract from a Conservation Statement for the former Chapel, by Jo Cox, and R.L. Thorp, with contributions from Roger Thorne, is an invaluable piece of research on the Old Chapel’s architecture, history and significance, and can be found here.

Gallop, A., 2017. Six for the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Imprint. Barnsley: Pen & Sword [Available as e-book]

The is the most recent book on the Tolpuddle Martyrs. This is an engaging, accessible book, well-illustrated, and written in a lively manner. It covers all the major events and more, and has the great virtue of being a good page-turner.

Marlow, J., 1974. The Tolpuddle Martyrs. London: Panther

A thorough-going study is Joyce Marlow’s The Tolpuddle Martyrs (Andre Deutsch, 1971, re-published in Panther paperback in 1974). This is a very readable and detailed full length study, well-researched, and particularly strong on the contemporary reports of the affair in the press of the day.

Martin, P.W., 2022. Radical Objects. History Workshop, 25th October.

Philip W. Martin’s article for the History Workshop series, ‘Radical Objects’ (October, 2022) makes an argument for the inherent radicalism of the building itself, and can be found here.

Martin, P.W., Dorset Radicalism Re-Visited: George Loveless makes trouble. Southern History, 22 (2020), 94-117

Philip Martin’s article on George Loveless’s writings is the only scholarly refereed article published on Loveless’s much neglected pamphlets and can be found here.

Rattenbury, O., 1931. Flame of Freedom: the Romantic Story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. London: Epworth Press.

In Owen Rattenbury’s account probably too much of the Martyrs’ actions are put down to Methodism, and too much imagined dialogue is rendered for dramatic effect. As a man of faith himself, Rattenbury has few doubts about the religious motivations of the Martyrs. While much of what he writes is fanciful, the book also serves as a useful counterbalance to the secular approach, and provides a way into understanding something of the intense faith that motivated the Tolpuddle Methodists.

Robinson, D.M., 1999. A Report on the Former Methodist Chapel at Tolpuddle Dorset. London: English Heritage.

David M. Robinson’s report on the Old Chapel for English Heritage in 1999 was the first serious investigation of the historical and architectural significance of this building. It can be found here.

Robinson, D.M., 2001. The Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Chapel, in Architectural History. 44, 275-282.

David Robinson later extended this report in an article for the journal, Architectural History, in 2001.

Scriven, T., 2019. The Dorchester Labourers and Swing’s Aftermath in Dorset, 1830-8’. History Workshop Journal. 82:1, Autumn 2016, 1-23.

Tom Scriven’s work on Tolpuddle in the context of Dorset radicalism is particularly valuable: ‘A condensed version of the article can be found here.

Scriven, T., 2012. Radicalism and Everyday Life: Agitation and Protest in Dorset, 1830-1838. PhD Thesis.

The first chapter of Tom Scriven’s PhD thesis is essential reading for anyone seriously interested in the social context of Dorset radicalism in the 1830s. It can be found here.

Tolpuddle Martyrs in Canada, 2025. The Martyrs of Tolpuddle: Settlers in Canada. Rev 11.2.1 Internet Version.

Information about the Martyrs’ voluntary exile to Canada (1844-6) and their lives there can be found here:

Tolpuddle Martys’ Museum, 2026. Story. https://www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk/story

For a clear, informative and accurate summary of the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, the best source is the account on the website of the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Museum.

TUC General Council, 1934. The Book of the Martyrs of Tolpuddle 1834-1934. London: TUC

Edited by Walter Citrine, and published on the centenary of the trial, this book is still the most valuable starting point for anyone wishing to pursue an interest in the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Its distinguished list of contributors include G.D.H. Cole, H.J. Laski, and Stafford Cripps. The volume includes detailed accounts of almost every aspect of the affair including the legal context. The one glaring absence however, is the almost complete neglect of the religious context and Methodism.