Stokesay Castle goes back to the civil war

It is hard to imagine that just 400 years ago England was bitterly divided down the middle to the point of years of violent conflict over how it should be governed – by royalty or by a parliament for the people alone.

The forces of both sides, roundheads and cavaliers, faced off once more this bank holiday at one of Shropshire's most picturesque historic sites, Stokesay Castle, near Craven Arms.

Both yesterday and Sunday a civil war garrison set up camp and regaled visitors in vibrant mix of entertainment and education.

Speaking on Bank Holiday Monday, Stokesay Castle site manager Julie Hall-Brett said: "They started at 11am with some music to open with then there was a weapons demonstration firing muskets and the canon.

"We've also got the surgeon's wife here which is quite grisly and bloody, they are doing cooking and we have a musician with all his medieval musical instruments.

"Later on we have sword school for the kids and some archery, so there's loads going on all day."

While Monday was cooler and a little damper, she said the weather on Sunday had been perfect, with the Sun shining down all day.

"We had more than 500 people visit us yesterday," she said.

It is the second time the Wardour Garrison reenactment group have set up camp at the south Shropshire castle, she said.

"We had them here last year, this particular group, and they are really excellent," she said.

The group created a living English civil war-style camp in the grounds, sleeping, eating and training as well as bringing to life the crafts and skills of the time, including embroidery, spinning and lace making.

Meanwhile there was also a chance to learn how to play board games of the period, try out scribing with a quill, ink and parchment, and hand held weapon and armour demonstrations.

The English Civil War took place between 1642 and 1651, a series of armed conflicts between Royalist cavaliers, loyal to King Charles I and II, and Parliamentarian "roundheads" led by Oliver Cromwell.

While Stokesay Castle looks the part and dates back much further to the 13th century, it would in fact never have seen such a siege – as it wasn't a real military castle, but rather a rich wool merchant's fortified manor house, sat at bottom of a valley so not in a good strategic position to defend the surrounding area.