Siege of Basing House brought to life (From Basingstoke Gazette)

History buffs re-enact battles

7:30am Saturday 20th October 2012 in News By Chris Gregory

THE siege of Basing House came to life once more as history buffs re-enacted battles from the English Civil War.

Around 100 members of the English Civil War Society came together at the Old Basing site last weekend to give demonstrations of life and death in the 17th century.

Sunday took on a particular historical significance as it was the 367th anniversary of when Basing House fell to Parliamentarian forces in 1645. That day ended a three-year siege of the Marquess of Winchester’s Royalist forces.

Visiting families were able to find out about the weaponry used in the skirmishes and where soldiers ate, slept and drank.

Ian MacDonald Watson, who played the colonel of the Marquess of Winchester Regiment, said visitor numbers were down on previous years, which he thought could have been because the event clashed with OctoberFest at Milestones museum.