08 Jul 2014
Forty Hall Turns Back The Clocks With Civil War Re-Enactment
Please Note This Is A Press Archive. This Event Took Place In July 2014.
Soldiers, maids and blacksmiths pitched camp in the grounds of a stately home before re-enacting a key battle in the English Civil War.
Families turned out to Forty Hall in Forty Hill to watch the recreation of the 1643 clash between the roundheads and cavaliers today.
Forty Hall and its owner, Sir Nicholas Rainton, came under attack from soldiers dressed in armour and armed with muskets and pikes.
Approximately 100 members of the English Civil War Society brought history back to life with their costumes and tents filled with artefacts and weapons from the past.
Alistair North, event organiser and command officer of Sir Marmaduke Rawdon's Regiment, said: “Enfield’s Forty Hall is a fantastic Jacobean mansion that we really wanted to promote. We wanted to bring a part of its history to life and provide people with a more interesting way of learning.”
Christian Towers, a musket officer who has been part of the society for 23 years, said: “I love taking part in events like today because it’s good fun, it’s a hobby, and it helps to preserve our heritage. The Civil War is a part of our history that changed the way our country was run forever.”
Children also got involved in the event including ten-year-old Ariana Dell, helped to cook the soldiers' dinner dressed as a maid.
She said: “Most children at school hate history lessons and find them really boring – but this is a really fun way to experience history and learn about the past.
“I’ve been taking part in events like this since I was just 18 months old and I love it. One of my favourite parts is the pike drill - it's really exciting.”