A very civil war (From Dorset Echo)

A very civil war

10:40am Monday 9th February 2009 in

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ENTHUSIASTS are plotting a second battle of Weymouth after an explosive Civil War Re-enactment.

The Chapelhay Community Partnership (CCP) staged a ‘living history’ day retracing the events of February 1645 when the town was the scene for a clash in the war.

Organisers have hailed the event – including soldiers firing muskets, wreath laying and a mock trial – as a fantastic success.

Now they aim to hold a similar event again in future to build on the success of the English Civil War Siege and Battle of Weymouth.

Organiser Martin Hedley, who is vice-chairman of the CCP, said: “It was absolutely fantastic.

“People dipped in and out of events during the day but we had about 25 to 30 members of the public march with us from Sandsfoot Castle to the Boot.

“Some people left and others joined us along the way for later events. It was a great success.”

Some 26 members of the English Civil War Society – including musketeers and pikemen – assembled at Sandsfoot Castle to fire a salute before marching to the old town hall and Boot pub on the harbourside.

They laid a wreath in memory of the 500 men who were killed in a major battle and clashes on the harbourside in February 1645.

Then, they marched to the Nothe for a mock trial, which featured Dorchester town crier Alistair Chisholm as the judge and borough councillor Roger Allen as the Rev Ince.

At the end of the trial there was a mock execution in front of 100 members of the public at the Nothe.

Mr Hedley said: “Some of the script of the trial was taken from the actual text of the words actually spoken in 1645.

“As I listened as the sun went down the sense of reality was really quite chilling.”

The Civic Society’s Nothe Fort and Tudor House were open during the day for demonstrations and tours.

The band Who’s Afear’d played at the Old Rooms in the evening after an open mike session.

Mr Hedley thanked Weymouth Rowing Club who took ‘prisoners’ across the harbour to re-enact their journey to their trial and deaths.

He also thanked the police for helping with traffic during the march as well as the leisure and tourism team from Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

Others involved in the event included historian and author Mark Vine, CCP chairman Sue Prescott, CCP secretary Jenny Pierce, re-enactment organiser Steve Piper, and CCP youth representative Rowan Hedley.