Plymouth battle re-enacted

A BATTLE which may have changed the whole course of British history has been commemorated in a Plymouth park.

Members of the Old Suttonians and the Sealed Knot re-enactment group celebrated the Sabbath Day Fight, an English Civil War battle in 1643.

ABOVE AND RIGHT: Musketeers and standard-bearers at the re-enactment of the battle of Freedom Fields. BELOW: John Orange and Gareth Hunt. BOTTOM CENTRE: Wreath-laying. BOTTOM RIGHT: Neal Harrington, Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Jonathan Drean and Kevin Jackson. Front is Ian Lycett-King

Herald historian Chris Robinson gave an address, a wreath was laid at the Civil War memorial in Freedom Park and around 40 members of the Sealed Knot re-created part of the battle.

Chris said: "The musket-fire reminded us of how noisy the battle would have been."

Nearly 400 years ago, with Plymouth held by the Parliamentarians, the Royalists crossed Lipson Creek under cover of darkness and a force of around 2,000 men led by Prince Maurice joined up with an advance party which had taken Laira Point – but the Royalists failed to press home their advantage, hesitated and were driven back down Lipson Hill by musket-fire.

They were faced with the prospect of re-crossing Lipson Creek in daylight with the tide now in, and some were drowned in the attempt.

About 200 Royalists died in the battle, compared with just two dozen Parliamentarians, but during December 1643 around 400 people altogether died of their wounds, infections or the plague.

Chris said: "If Plymouth had fallen, it could have turned the whole outcome of the Civil War, and Charles II would probably not have built the Citadel as a means of preventing future insurgencies."