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Gatehouse of Fleet Lions' Club

On the 19th and 20th July 1997, the town of Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway turned back the clock to the Seventeenth Century. A Civil War engagement was relived, with cannon, cavalry and more than 1,000 troops in authentic period costumes, armed with muskets and pikes.

The event, which had been organised by the Gatehouse of Fleet Lions Club and the Sealed Knot Society, was a major tourist attraction for the Region. Over 6,000 visitors made their way to the town over that one weekend.

The "Battle of Kirkcudbright" was loosely based on events of the period between 1640 and 1649. The local South Regiment under Lord Kirkcudbright and Colonel James Agnew fought at such famous battles as Marston Moor (1644) and Philiphaugh (1645) before finally ending its days of glory in Ireland at Lesnagarvie in Ulster (1649) when they were cut to pieces by Cromwell's troops. It was a time to remember, and to reflect upon; a service was held near MacLellans Castle in memory of those killed in the Civil War.

Groundbase awarded £ 5,000 Sterling to Gatehouse of Fleet Lions' Club to assist with the costs of promoting the event a year in advance, under the Cultural Heritage Assistance Programme. The object of the promotion was to encourage 1996 visitors to make return visits in 1997.

The picture below shows stirring action by musketeers and pikemen during the Battle. Pikemen protected the musketeers from cavalry whilst they went through the long procedure of re-loading their muskets. :-

Artillery played an important part in the major battles of the 1640s, the cannon or 'field piece' accurately recalling the sounds and smells of the fighting.:-

In the scene below the Royalist and Parliament cavalry are milling about as they fight. Cromwell's dragoons were eventually the best-equipped and best-trained force in the country, outclassing the declining Royalist forces. :-

More pictures of this Sealed Knot event, and the week-long historical re-enactment of life in a Civil War camp, can be found in the Dalbeattie Domain website of Dalbeattie Internet.