Roundhead Association

Gloucester March and Living History
23/24 April 2016

Saturday 23 April 2016,
11am - 3pm Living History in the grounds of Llanthony Priory, towards the Docks side, access via Gloucester Docks entrance

12 am Siege of Gloucester Walk - leaving Llanthony Priory and finishing at the City Museum

Sunday 24th April 2016
10.15 am Ceremony of the Colours
10.35 am March departs for Westgate St., going into City, and stopping near St. Nicholas Church. The route will be via the lifting bridge and docks; Cavalry will divert then rejoin the Army via Southgate Street and Westgate Street to junction with Cathedral Road.

Horse and Cannon are due to stop outside The Shire Hall during the Wreath laying – and will be happy to talk to the public. Later – around 11:45 the infantry will rejoin them for the return march to Llanthony Priory, which we regret, will not be open to the public so take the opportunity to talk to us en route.


The History
On the 24th March 1643 Waller and Massie defeated Lord Herbert at Highnam, near Gloucester. Welsh Royalist Prisoners and captured cannon were bought into Gloucester after the skirmish and the soldiers left in St.Mary de Lode Church. Waller then left a force under Massie in Gloucester. His headquarters was in the Old Crown Inn. The City Regiment was then formed and called “The Governors Regiment”, defending the City during the Siege later in the Civil War.

The other Parliamentary Regiment was the Earl of Stamfords. The broken regiment of Dragoons under Colonel Forbes, from Berkeley Castle shared in the defence of Gloucester during the siege, later on, as did the Regiment of Colonel Devereux.

There was a dedicated team of 16 ‘canoneers’ and 24 ‘matrosses’ under the master gunner Ellis Powell. Captain Catchmay commanded a mobile unit of the train of artillery. Captain Robert Backhouse led a troop of horse, and Captain Richard Bannaster, a troop of dragoons (dismouted cavalry).

The Saturday tour is by Christopher King.