We scored a hat-trick – victory at the Battle of Nantwich for the THIRD year running!

Wow – what a start to 2025! We’re over the moon to have been awarded the Rosebowl trophy for ‘best regiment’ at the Battle of Nantwich … for the THIRD year running!

Every January, the Sealed Knot gathers in Nantwich, the market town in Cheshire that was besieged by Royalist forces in 1644, to commemorate and reenact the lifting of the siege by a Parliamentarian army under the command of Thomas Fairfax. The event, which has been going on since the 1970s, is named ‘Holly Holy Day’ after the sprigs of holly the Parliamentarians wore in their hats and is a revival of the day of thanksgiving that happened annually until the 1700s.

As the only large reenactment battle in mid-winter, it’s a wonderful opportunity to come together as a regiment outside our usual season and have a great battle with a great bash afterwards – and this year was definitely no exception.

Despite Storm Eowyn hitting the UK in the days before, the weather was calm, dry and crisp. We started things by training in the chilly tennis courts of Malbank School, making sure everyone was ready for the drill display in the Market Square.

After that it was time to carb load before battle – and our pike officer Ian made sure that he scoffed his pie, chips and gravy in the most authentic way possible with a 17th Century knife and fork set!

Regardless of the weather, we always receive a warm welcome from local people who lined the streets in their hundreds to watch the Sealed Knot march down Welsh Row and into the market square. Nantwich is an ancient and historic town, with some beautiful timber-frame buildings and narrow streets, making it the perfect place for us to sing our regiment song – Thomas Ravenscroft’s Remember, O Thou Man. It can be such a stirring sound as the beat of the drums and our singing bounce off the walls.

Video by Dawn MacCallaugh

Once we reached the packed Market Square, it was time for a sermon from our regimental preacher (who managed to wind himself by preaching a little too hard!) and the judging for the Rosebowl – the annual competition for ‘best regiment’ – as each regiment goes through drill manoeuvres.

We then marched down to the battlefield on Mill Island, with our troops trying to avoid the mud while still giving a good account of themselves against the Royalists. The battle is always hard going, but we had some great opposition and lots of fun fights. Once battle was done, it came time for the announcement of who had won the Rosebowl trophy. It’s important to us that we support the competition: practising for it really boosts the regiment’s solidarity, supports those whose effort goes into making this event happen, gives us an excuse for our annual training weekend, and is a lot of fun to boot.

So we were delighted when it was announced that we had won for the THIRD year in a row!

The Rosebowl was presented to our commanding officer David Frederick by the Mayor of Nantwich, Councillor Stuart Bostock, and Roger Fairman of the Yeoman of the Sealed Knot.

A hearty huzzah to the other regiments taking part – the King’s Lifeguard, Col. John Pickering’s Regiment of Foote, and Sir Arthur Haselrig’s Companie of Foote – who we’re already looking forward to competing against next year!

We were delighted joined this year by two new members, Anna and Chris, whose son bought them a temporary membership for their Christmas present – and the smiles say it all!

And then it was time to kick back and celebrate! Due to an … incident with the trophy during last year’s celebrations, this year we had to hand it back after the end of the battle. But instead we found a perfectly suitable replacement – THE ROSE BIN! This totally-sanitary alternative stood in ably as the team at The Oddfellows pub on Welsh Row very generously filled it with Mystery Drink™ to mark the win. Luckily, no-one was harmed or went blind in the making of these celebrations! 😂😂😂

It was a great night, filled with laughter, celebrating the Rosebowl win and catching up with friends from across the Sealed Knot.

A huge thank you must go to our hosts, the King’s Lifeguard which – along with a small army of volunteers – puts on another brilliantly organised weekend.

So now we’re 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 videos 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!

 

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