It has been announced that a large number of families are expected to flock to the county town next weekend as the Battle of Maidstone is brought to life. It’s said that hundreds of actors will take part in a re-enactment of one of the bloodiest battles in the English Civil War to commemorate its 360th anniversary. This event will take place on Saturday 1st June 2008.

Event organiser Mandy Hare said that “I think this is an immensely important battle within the Civil War so it is definitely something to be commemorated. If you had been around then you would have been right in the thick of it, all our lives could have been quite different if the battle went the other way, it’s an incredible and scary thing. And in terms of bringing people knowledge of our history, it is really significant.”

The Battle of Maidstone took place on the 1st June 1648, when Lord General Fairfax defeated the Royalist insurgents under the Earl of Norwich. Three hundred Royalists were killed and 1,400 taken prisoner. Parliamentary forces lost 80 men.

For more information about the event contact Mandy Hare at the Hazlitt Arts Centre on 01622 602178 or email mandyhare@maidstone.gov.uk.

Will you be attending this event?

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