The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Amid cannon fire and musket bangs, Crowland Abbey felt the return of Oliver Cromwell’s puritan troops, almost 400 years after they first attacked.
Battle reinactment group The Sealed Knot recreated the Siege of Crowland Abbey during the weekend activites.
The Rev Mike Ongyerth said: “Large crowds lined the streets of Crowland to see members of the Sealed Knot march through the town with pike men, musketeers and huge battle flags to the gates of Crowland Abbey to be met with a fusillade of shots from the Abbey tower.
“The then vicar of Spalding, played by The Rev Charles Brown, was paraded in chains and held hostage in the Abbey grounds.”
The centrepiece of the two-day family event was the battle reinactiment, but there were plenty of other events going on.
“Over two days the public enjoyed skirmishes, cannon fire and a unique fire pike assault, illuminated by the town beacon,” said The Rev Ongyerth.
“A large living history camp was enjoyed by many of the visitors where they could sample 17th Century food and observe skills of the period,” he added.
The event was “an outstanding success” and The Rev Ongyerth is planning a similar event to be held in two years’ time.
“This is the second time Friends of Crowland Abbey have staged this event which we hope to repeat in 2019 any money raised goes towards the physical upkeep of Crowland Abbey.”
