Cavalry arrive as Cromwell goes to battle again

The two-day Newport Pagnell Civil War Weekend saw more than 550 re-enactors from the English Civil War Society fight spectacular battles in front of huge crowds on Bury Field Common over the bank holiday.

On Sunday The Mayor of Milton Keynes Cllr Steve Coventry and The Mayor of Newport Pagnell fired a cannon each to start a community event that has been two years in the planning. Not even a downpour at the height of the battle that afternoon dampened the crowd’s enthusiasm to stay and see who prevailed – the Royalist Cavaliers. On Monday the sun shone on a Roundhead victory and on Saturday hundreds of people lined the High Street to watch soldiers march through the town.

Richard Meredith, chairman of the NP CWW committee, said: “Our aim was to generate a new interest in the role Newport Pagnell played in the Civil War (1642–1651) in an entertaining way, to bring the community together and show how much the amenity of Bury Field is cherished. That has been achieved, and more.

“This has been a real team effort by our committee and volunteers, our partners the ECWS and with the help of many individuals, groups and local councils, which is greatly appreciated.”

With the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Newport Pagnell Town Council, Milton Keynes Council, Milton Keynes Community Foundation and the Bury Field Commoners Association, the two-day event was open to the public for free. In September an educational outreach project, led by NP CWW co-chairman Geoff Morris and with support from ECWS, will show hundreds of local schoolchildren how the English Civil War affected the town.

Visit www.npcivilwarweekend.com and www.ecws.org.uk