THE ROUNDHEADS were welcomed back into Malmesbury at the weekend as scenes from the English Civil War were played out once again.

A contingent of Col Nicholas Devereux’s Regiment of Foote set up camp 370 years after it was first sent to garrison the town.

Up to a thousand people turned out each day to see them skirmish with the Royalists, practise their pike drill and present their colours to mayor Sue Poole, who was one of the organisers.

Cllr Poole said: “They were made so welcome by the town. It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant and the atmosphere in the town was wonderful.”

She paid tribute to her fellow organisers, who had not only raised the £10,000 needed to stage the event, but had worked hard in the run up to the event and throughout the weekend.

Another of the small team Julia Bowen, who was brought in because she organised a similar event nearly 20 years ago, said: “We had no idea how many people were going to come. It could have been 10, it could have been a thousand.

“We were really lucky that we had fantastic sponsorship and were able to put it on as a free event.

“She added: “The community has been absolutely fantastic and we have had lots of positive comments.”

One teenager from Sherston was so enthralled by the weekend he decided to join the regiment and found himself in costume on Sunday and the re-enactors were so bowled over by the level of interest that they want to return in the future.

The group, which brought colleagues from the Marquess of Winchester’s Regiment to provide opposition in the battle, spent hours giving people a taste of life in the 17th Century.

They cooked a typical meal for the officers, demonstrated authentic crafts and demonstrated their weaponry.

For more pictures see this week's North Wiltshire edition of the Standard.