fairfax battalia

This major event marked the 360th anniversary of the final surrender of Newark, bringing to an end the First English Civil War and the victory of Parliament over King Charles I.

The event was organised by EventPlan in association with the Newark 1646 Group and Fairfax Battalia. It was supported by the Local Heritage Initiative, with additional support and assistance from Newark and Sherwood District Council.

With the Royalist held castle facing Parliamentarian siege lines across the river, a superb weekend of activities informed and entertained thousands of visitors, encompassing living history, siege and skirmishes. The intention was to telescope the events of the five month siege (26 November - 6 May 1646) siege into a single weekend. Re-enactment is not just about entertainment and a wreath-laying ceremony commemorated the soldiers and civilians that found themselves caught up in a bloody civil war.

Schools Day
Following on from classroom activities and workshops devoted to the history of the castle and its importance in the civil war, the Schools’ Living History Day on 28 April, presented by members of the English Civil War Society, brought history to life in a highly visual, exciting and hands-on manner. This was one of the most ambitious and extensive educational days related to the English Civil War that has ever been arranged.. Around 500 local pupils were able to “step back in time” and meet people from the C17th. Officers, soldiers, civilians and camp followers, who carried out their duties and demonstrated what life was like – and how different it was from today. See HERE for pictures of the Schools Day

The following are a selection of photos from the event. Others can be found on the Past Image Photography web site.
Note that these are large files and may take a while to load.