The battle for Monmouth!

During the English Civil war, Monmouth changed hands three times, finally succumbing to Cromwell in 1645. When Cromwell visited Monmouth he stayed in the Queens Head and slighted* Monmouth castle.

Monmouth has another link to the Civil War. Brigadier Peter Young, an old boy of Monmouth School formed the famed ‘Sealed Knot’ Society, now the largest re-enactment group in Europe with thousands of members. It derived its name from the historical 'Sealed Knot', a secret society bent on overthrowing Cromwell and restoring the king. A fragment of the knot, a strand might be a better way of putting it, visited Monmouth

 The Owl man of Monmouth. Not a member of the Sealed Knot. A harbinger perhaps.

Ah, the advance guard arrive!

Considering strategy - or as it turned out confusion.

                                                      

  Uh uh. Pikemen on the move

Man against pike. The pikes are winning

The pikes meet.
Now for the good bit - when steel rips into flesh

What...? No blood! A rugby scrum with pikes. They look like garnished cocktail sausages.

                                         Lots of huffing and puffing. No entrails or blood

Don't know what's going on here. Some pikemen marching, while others huddle doing God knows what. One of the pikemen has eaten all the pies.

Another pikemen looks like a bank manager or Geography teacher. He's taking it very seriously.

Ah, musketeers priming their muskets. Note the one in the middle looking puzzled. Probably wondering whether there'll be any cocktail sausages left.

                                                                            Take aim!

Fire! 

(note an example of 'a flash in the pan')

Cocktail sausages watching other cocktail sausages.

Musketeers in action again. Pikemen are having their own little party

Two things I learn't.

•  It's okay to play Cowboys and Indians whatever your age.

• C17th battles were colourful but weird.

And one thing I didn't:

• Totally confused as to who won but the ice cream that followed was good.

 *  Far from being a breach of manners, 'Slighted' refers to damaging a castle so making it unusable.