The Marquess of Winchesters Regiment | English Civil war Reenactment

2010-09-02T22:04:00.002+01:00

A new gallery of pictures and youtube from our joint event with the Fairfax Battalia has been added to our website.

A good weekend and a 1st for us staging an event at a CADW site.

PORTRAIT OF SIR WILLIAM PAULET, 1ST MARQUESS OF WINCHESTER

2010-03-12T12:48:00.001Z

Sir William Paulet (c. 1483 – 10 March 1572) was an English Secretary of State and statesman who attained several peerages throughout his lifetime: Baron St John (9 March 1539), Earl of Wiltshire (19 January 1550), and Marquess of Winchester (11 October 1551). William Paulet was eldest son of Sir John Paulet of Basing, near Basingstoke who had married a cousin, Alice Paulet. There is some disagreement over his date of birth, authorities quoting 1483 or 1485. Also a claim he was ninety-seven at his death would place his birth in 1474 or 1475.

http://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/antiquedetail.asp?autonumber=70049

Got £15,000 going spare?

Whitehall Parade 2010

2010-03-12T11:42:00.002Z

Whitehall Parade

Every year, on the last Sunday in January, the Marquess of Winchesters Regiment along with the rest of the King's Army is privileged to be allowed to commemorate the execution of King Charles I with a parade along the route taken by the king from the St James' Palace to his place of execution outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall.

The event took place on Sunday, 31st January this year. The Army will assemble in The Mall in front of St James Palace from 11.00am. Starting at about 11.30am, the Army proceeds to march at a funeral pace along The Mall, across Horsguards Parade and, crossing over Whitehall into Horseguards Avenue, assembles for a short ceremony alongside the Banqueting House.

Picture Gallery of the Parade

Time flys by..

2009-12-19T17:50:00.002Z

Doesn't it just!!

With the 2009 season nearly over and the 1st 2010 event only a few weeks away, it's time to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy new year.

I will be a bit more prolific next year in my postings here..

Best Regards.

Dash

The 2009 campaingn season begins

2009-01-18T21:54:00.005Z

The 2009 campaingn season is about to start for The Marquess of Winchesters Regiment of the English Civil war Society, with our 1st events in Whitehall, London.

Every year, on the last Sunday in January, Winchesters and the rest of the King's Army (the Royalist part of the English Civil War Society) is privileged to be allowed to commemorate the execution of King Charles I with a parade along the route taken by the King from the St James' Palace to his place of execution outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall.

The event takes place on Sunday, 25th January this year. The Army will assemble in The Mall in front of St James Palace from 11.00am. Starting at about 11.30am, the Army proceeds to march at a funeral pace along The Mall, across Horsguards Parade and, crossing over Whitehall into Horseguards Avenue, assembles for a short ceremony alongside the Banqueting House.

The parade returns to St James' Palace at a normal marching pace, with drums beating and colours flying, up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, then through Admiralty Arch back along The Mall

This colourful commemorative parade has been staged every January for more than 20 years and has become a popular feature in the annual events calendar of England's capital city.

Read More at the English Civil War Society Website

Winter Quarters

2008-12-14T18:04:00.003Z

Time does fly when your having fun, and it has certainly sped by for me with a new job with more responsibility and a steep learning curve. This has diverted my attention from the usual updates, so much so I am now posting as the regiment retires into winter quarters with members up & down the country preparing for Christmas and the new year.

The 2009 season is shaping up nicely with a varied number of events both big and small catering for all tastes of the membership. large battles at the ECWs majors caters for the younger members who enjoy the thrill of the fight and the excitement of the beer tent, with the smaller events bringing along the those who enjoy the more relaxed one to one displays. So with hope there will be good turnout of Winchesters at this years events, last year saw us gain members and it looks like next season will also see another increase. Have a look at our website for the event calendar for next year at www.marquisofwinchesters.co.uk

So it's time to send you my best wishes for the new year, but with a warning to those involved with English civil war re-enactment, just recently I came across a website that offered the idea that pikeman in the 1640's held their pikes at 70-80 degrees and bunched up like a rugby scrum and pushed at each other - fearing not to hurt or to hurt their opponents.! Despite the overwhelming evidence that they actually did point the weapons at each other I find this idea of pike combat being picked up as being correct by the public who view our English civil war re-enactment displays, disturbing.

Maybe next year will bring some change. As most of the ECW societies proclaim - "education" - as a goal of their displays, some even have it written into their constitutions. maybe they will start to live up to their ideals.
So my New years wish is to see that begin to happen or if not see more people who have a passion for real ECW re-enactment join those who want do it right.

Merry Christmas & Happy New year.

Dash

It's September already

2008-09-02T18:02:00.004+01:00

It's September already and I have forgotten to update this blog on what the Marquess of Winchesters regiment has been upto these last few months.

Well in the past we took part in John Rankin school fete which was a fantastic success. A real reenactment weekend for the members and a nice healthy profit of £6500 to add to the school funds.

Then there was the "Kings Weekend" at Llancaich Fawr, Wales - we were very lucky with the weather and we had a great time with drill displays and a large living history encampment which included a "pay parade". This I hope this got the members interacting a bit and thus adding some flavour to the event for them.

On the August Bank holiday saw the whole of the English Civil War society attending a large event at West Acre in deepest darkest Norfolk. Not a bad event, not a good one, though the campsite, beertent and Living history were very good, the battles in my opinion could have been better. I watched the Monday's battle and weren't impressed. As a society that aims to be the best ECW group it need's to pull it's socks up, or take it's fishermans socks off.. but the members of the ECWS enjoyed themselve's and for them that's what counts.

Pictures of all these events, or links to site which are hosting some picture can be found on our website. www.marquisofwinchesters.co.uk

We are at Basing House Hampshire on the last weekend of September -for a nice end of season bash at our regimental home with a small living history and drill displays, including on the Sunday a short ceremony to close the house for the season.

Cheers for now and have fun -

Festival of History

2008-06-30T16:08:00.003+01:00

Over 1,000 re-enactors including members of the English civil War Society will march out of history and into the heart of England this summer as Festival of History returns to Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire on 19 and 20 July.

English Heritages Festival of History is the UK’s largest historical event featuring a weekend full of clashing swords, thundering hooves, roaring cannons, screaming aeroplanes and have-a-go fun! With more than 50 different shows each day Festival of History really does bring 2,000 years of England’s glorious history spectacularly to life.

The Marquess of Winchesters Regiment will be part of the English Civil War reenactment displays over the weekend. If you are interested in taking part in this event with our introductory membership offer then contact the regiment via the link on the right.

Follow this link for more information about the weekends activities

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.18930

Eynsham Carnival July 5th

2008-06-09T16:24:00.003+01:00

Well it is time to do a muster a bit closer to home, and it can't get any closer than your own village.

Due to a cancellation where Winchesters were going to Alston in Cumbria, we managed to get at least something for the local members in Oxfordshire. Though not an ideal event were all the members have an opportunity to attend, these little do's give us a chance to meet the locals on a more informal basis - it's a good opportunity to recruit - and usually they are alot of fun.

So come and see us at The Eynsham 2008 Carnival on the 5th July - just a couple of tents, join the parade and chat to the locals - Then down the pub for a beer or two.

Should be good fun.

Cya there.

Dash

John Rankin School Newbury 14th -15th June

2008-06-04T23:17:00.005+01:00

With many thanks to Alan & Elaine Winn, both members of the regiment and the John Rankin school. There will be a 3 day event at the school from the 13th -15th June.

The 13th will be what we call a "schools day" or "education day"where we will have a few stations set up with members talking to groups of children about various aspects of the English Civil war. There will be members from other regiments of the society helping out on the day, members from the Earl of Essex's Regiment, John Brights and the Fairfax Battalia will be helping out. Some coming as far away as Hull!!

The 14th -15th will be the schools 2 day fete to riase funds for some school equipment, with a living history encampment, drill displays, childrens drill and a small skirmish along with the usual school fete stands it look to be a good weekend to come and visit.

For the members attending there will be a bar on the Friday & Saturday along with a curry and BBQ on the Saturday.

It is shaping up to be a good weekend, the weather predition is looking good - touch virtual wood - so why not come along, if you want to give this English Civil War reenactment a go then please contact me via the "contact the webmaster" link on our main website. If you do, you won't be alone as we have 2 new members trying it out for the 1st time at Newbury.

Have fun.

Dash

Chiltern open Air Museum 17th-18th May 2008

2008-05-26T18:30:00.005+01:00

Last weekend we staged a low key event at the Chiltern open Air museum, not allot was expected from the event as it was at the time placed between the 1st Maybank holiday event at Lulworth and the potential large event on the late Maybank holiday.

Unfortunately the late Maybank holiday event didn't come to pass, and the society released the dates for the regiments to book their own events.

This encouraged a greater than normal turnout than expected turning a low key event into something a bit bigger. Though not the greatest of turnouts the regiment did have a lot of fun demonstrating the military aspects of the English civil war in 3 drill displays during the day. Including the use of a cottage on the site to prepare and serve some food to the members and a small living history camp outside.

Fortunately the weather was kind and warm, and in the evening we retreated to the "village hall" to socialise, chat and have some fun. well there was certainly allot of fun, a few beers music by our very own squeeze box maestro, fife and drums accompanying it turned into a night to remmber.

Here's a picture of the members formed up for some drill. More pictures can be found on our regimental website at http://www.marquisofwinchesters.co.uk/

Whats all this then?

2008-05-26T18:11:00.002+01:00

Well what is all this then? well it seems to have a reasonable ranking on the search engines you need a blog.

So here it is, a basic blog for me to post every now and again about my hobby of English Civil War reenactment in the Marquess of Winchesters Regiment of the English Civil War Society.

Aimez loyaulte

Dash