Experience Thaxted in September 1642

Thaxted returned to the year 1642 over the weekend of 18/19^th September 2010 when the Parish Council invited around 200 members of the English Civil War Society to visit the town. 

Cllr. Collins, Chairman of the Council’s Tourism Committee said, “In September 1642 the whole country was on the brink of war.  On 22^nd August 1642, Charles I raised his standard at Nottingham Castle which marked the beginning of a period of bloody conflict in which families were divided and friends found themselves on opposing sides. Thaxted was no exception. East Anglia was predominantly for Parliament, but is that how the town thinks now?” 

Both Royalists and Parliamentarians provided a Garrison presence over several sites in the town with interactive displays including a barber-surgeon demonstrating amputation procedures on willing visitors (not for the faint-hearted), a working forge and bullet casting, cannon, pike and musket drill, sword school and 17^th century songs in Thaxted’s Church.  Visitors to the weekend had the opportunity to vote for who they supported with the resultant winners marching victorious through the town on Sunday afternoon. 

The weekend was well attended with visitors enjoying a lively, hands-on historical event in the late summer sunshine.

Are you for Parliament or the King?

As for the big vote. There was a little voting on the Saturday with the King leading at the end of Saturday. Then, on the Sunday, the soldiers and others realised what was at stake and they encouraged the public to get voting. The Parliament vote rallied during the day and by 2 pm it was looking like they might catch up the King. However, when the final tally was counted the King was comfortably in front and was declared the winner. The Parliamentary soldiers then marched out of the town.