Newent Celebrates

Dates: 13-14 September

Location: High Street, Newent GL18 1AN

From onion eating to parading pooches, Newent Celebrates is an event like no other! The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote is proud to be a part of this revitalised traditional festival!

Bringing thousands to this quiet corner of Gloucestershire, the town’s Onion Fayre began in the 13th century under the seal of King Henry III. Cancelled due to the covid pandemic, the Fayre is now reborned as Newent Celebrates, and our English Civil War soldiers will help bring the 17th Century to proceedings.

A great day out for all the family, Newent Celebrates is the home of the world-famous onion eating competition, which sees competitors test the strength of their stomachs as they race to consume an entire raw onion. Plus, there will be activities galore, with live music, street entertainment, fairground rides, market stalls selling local produce, and much more!

Weekend schedule
Opening times both days: 10am-4.30pm

Saturday 13th September – Street Fair and Family Fun

Come to a 17th Century street fair!  Experience Newent as a Civil War garrison town on market day, soldiers roaming the streets keeping order, as visitors peruse the goods on offer from the local traders. Keep an eye out for the vagabonds looting a cart of onions. They are sure to be caught by the militia and taken for trial!

There will be music from local musicians, local food and drink, and plenty of entertainment for all the family all through the centre of our medieval town. The park and lake will host many more activities, including a fun dog show (How Period is your Pooch?)

The Manchester Regiment of Foote will be camped at the edge of town, where you can wander through the living village showing life in the garrison camp during civil war times.

Newent will be 1644 for the day. We will be running competitions for the best period dressed visitors, best period dressed stalls and shop windows. We would love everyone to join in the fun, and to help you we will in the weeks ahead be posting easy ways to create period costumes. Don’t worry about true authenticity, the whole day will be littered with a large amount of poetic licence!

Stalls and music through the streets, and activities in the park. Enter into the fun and come dressed for the 17th Century – prizes for the best costumes! (Free entry to the town, car parking all day £5)

Sunday 14th September – The Big Battle

Book your tickets here >>

The highlight of the weekend, experience 17th Century life during the Civil War in the Living Village, and watch The Battle for Newent – a day of exciting entertainment for all the family! The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote, part of the Sealed Knot will be camped at their Living Village on the school playing field, just a stone’s throw from the actual camp of 1644. Come and experience life in the camp, watch the soldiers drilling, and preparing for battle. The day builds to the main battle in the afternoon when up to 200 soldiers will be fighting with pike and musket. There will also be cannon fire!

Adults £5, children £2, Family tickets £10. Earlybirds use the code LOCAL20 to get 20% off – hurry though, this is time limited!

@english.civil.war

Do you know your onions? Newent Celebrates is coming 13-14 September and we’re ‘chomping’ at the bit to bring the English Civil Wars to life! Learn more at https://newentonionfayre.net onion eating to parading pooches, Newent Celebrates is an event like no other! The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote is proud to be a part of this revitalised traditional festival! Bringing thousands to this quiet corner of Gloucestershire, the town’s Onion Fayre began in the 13th century under the seal of King Henry III. Cancelled due to the covid pandemic, the Fayre is now reborned as Newent Celebrates, and our English Civil War soldiers will help bring the 17th Century to proceedings. A great day out for all the family, Newent Celebrates is the home of the world-famous onion eating competition, which sees competitors test the strength of their stomachs as they race to consume an entire raw onion. Plus, there will be activities galore, with live music, street entertainment, fairground rides, market stalls selling local produce, and much more! Saturday 13th September – Street Fair and Family Fun: Come to a 17th Century street fair! Experience Newent as a Civil War garrison town on market day, soldiers roaming the streets keeping order, as visitors peruse the goods on offer from the local traders. Keep an eye out for the vagabonds looting a cart of onions. They are sure to be caught by the militia and taken for trial! There will be music from local musicians, local food and drink, and plenty of entertainment for all the family all through the centre of our medieval town. The park and lake will host many more activities, including a fun dog show (How Period is your Pooch?) The Manchester Regiment of Foote will be camped at the edge of town, where you can wander through the living village showing life in the garrison camp during civil war times. Newent will be 1644 for the day. We will be running competitions for the best period dressed visitors, best period dressed stalls and shop windows. We would love everyone to join in the fun, and to help you we will in the weeks ahead be posting easy ways to create period costumes. Don’t worry about true authenticity, the whole day will be littered with a large amount of poetic licence! Stalls and music through the streets, and activities in the park. Enter into the fun and come dressed for the 17th Century – prizes for the best costumes! (Free entry to the town, car parking all day £5) Sunday 14th September – The Big Battle: the highlight of the weekend, experience 17th Century life during the Civil War in the Living Village, and watch The Battle for Newent – a day of exciting entertainment for all the family! The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote, part of the Sealed Knot will be camped at their Living Village on the school playing field, just a stone’s throw from the actual camp of 1644. Come and experience life in the camp, watch the soldiers drilling, and preparing for battle. They may even let you practice with them! The day builds to the main battle in the afternoon when 200 soldiers will be fighting with pike and musket. There will also be cannon fire! Adults £5, children £2, Family tickets £10. Earlybirds use the code LOCAL20 to get 20% off – hurry though, this is time limited! #Newent #ForestofDean #Gloucester #Gloucestershire #Cheltenham #NewentCelebrates #History #BritishHistory #HistoryBuffs #HistoryTok #September #ForYouPage #Onion

♬ original sound – Earl of Manchester’s Regiment

The history
Sat on the front lines of the English Civil War, Newent was strongly Royalist – it is said that the rector of St Mary’s, John Wilse, rode into battle alongside Royalist cavalry, armed with a pistol in each hand!

It was under Sir William Vavasour that Newent had its largest role. The younger son of an important Yorkshire gentleman, Vavasour was captured at Edgehill in 1642 but escaped and arrived at the King’s capital of Oxford to a hero’s welcome. Mustering a local 2,600-strong force at Hereford and marching on Tewkesbury in 1644, Vavasour’s army was bolstered by English troops brought over from suppressing the Irish Rebellion. He marched to Newent, garrisoning the town with Colonel Mynne’s infantry, while he established more garrisons at nearby Highnam and Taynton.

Vavasour was given the task of blockading the Parliamentarian stronghold of Gloucester and securing the county to provide troops and money for the King. This he did successfully until the Royalist defeat at Cheriton in March 1644 meant Vavasour’s force had to march away to reinforce the King’s main field army. This left the county open and in mid-April Gloucester’s governor, Colonel Edward Massey, sallied out and attacked Mynne at Newent. The attack was repulsed, but Mynne was ordered to withdraw to Ross-on-Wye to protect Herefordshire while Vavasour tried to raise a new local army.