Well, that was a bit of a classic Nantwich!
We love supporting this annual event in Cheshire, organised by the King’s Guard of the Sealed Knot, and this year did not disappoint. Some of our members arrived in Nantwich on the Friday and settled in with some much-needed socialising, before Saturday when we mustered to march into town. We’re always really impressed with just how many people turn out to watch the march and battle, with the public six-deep at points along the route. Marching behind the two cavalry troopers who led the forces of Parliament, we entered Nantwich’s packed Market Square and waited for the Rosebowl judging to begin, while our regimental preacher regaled us with an authentic sermon from the English Civil War, exhorting us to have courage and fight hard!
Then came time for us to put all our training into practice, as the judges for the Rosebowl competition for ‘best regiment’ watched our troops go through their drill manoeuvres. We won the Rosebowl last year and hoped to do the double in 2020!
After drill we marched down to the battlefield on Mill Island, in front of what certainly looked like a bigger crowd than we’d had in previous years. The Battle of Nantwich is always a heady combo of sweat and mud, but our troops fought well, facing off against much larger regiments. The Manchester’s musket block had their ranks bolstered by some ‘turncoats’ from the Royalists while our pikemen fought three different regiments as the grass beneath their feet turned to mud.
We didn’t take home the Rosebowl trophy this year, but we did come second! Congratulations to the winners, Colonel John Pickering’s Regiment of Foote, and to our other opponents, the King’s Guard and Sir Arthur Haselrigg’s Regiment! It’s always important for us that we support the Rosebowl competition – practising for it brings us together as a regiment, gives us an excuse for our January training weekend, and is a lot of fun to boot. It also gives us the perfect opportunity to sing our regiment song – Remember, O Thou Man – which you’ll be able to hear in one of the videos below.
It was another brilliantly organised weekend and a huge “huzzah!” to Jez Harper, who is stepping down as organiser after many years’ service – it wouldn’t be the event it is without the hard work of him and an army of volunteers.
We’re now nursing our tired and bruised bodies – as well as a few well-deserved hangovers – but we’re itching to get back into kit and we have some great events planned. If this account and the photos and video below have whetted your appetite and you fancy giving it a go it couldn’t be easier – for as little as £10 you could have a taster weekend and we’ll provide all the reenactment kit you need! Visit our website, drop us a line, and you could be marching onto a battlefield with us!
Until next year, Nantwich!
Photos by Karen Berry:
