ROUNDHEADS and Royalists will skirmish again this week, 370 years after they battled for Malmesbury in the English Civil War.

Over 200 re-enactors from Col Nicholas Devereux’s Regiment of Foote and camp followers will pitch up for a Living History Weekend featuring everything from an appointment with the barber surgeon to an officer’s dining demonstration.

A display camp is being set up in the Cloister Gardens from 10.30am on Saturday and the regiment will present its colours to mayor Sue Poole in the Market Cross at 12.30. Two hours later the soldiers will march down to St Aldhelm’s Mead for the skirmish at 3pm.

On Sunday the programme includes a talk on 17th Century artillery by Roger Emmerson and a chance to see how the regiment’s cannons work.

The Warden and Freemen’s room in Market Lane will be open with artefacts on display including a bird’s eye map of the town.

Expert and author Alan Turton, who was curator at the English Civil War Society’s Basin House and was a historical advisor for TV series Timewatch, kicks the weekend off tomorrow night with a talk in the town hall at 7.30pm. Admission costs £6.