It’s hard to imagine today, but over 400 years ago, Nantwich was caught up in the English Civil War. The town, the second most important in Cheshire, was fiercely contested between the Royalists and Parliamentarians. On January 25 1644, the Parliamentarians who had garrisoned the town the previous, won a major victory in the Battle of Nantwich, defeating a large Royalist army. This victory weakened the Royalists in the north and helped fend off the Scots invading England. Each year, the Sealed Knot reenacts the battle, and locals still celebrate with sprigs of holly in their hats on Holly Holy Day. This year’s reenactment will be on Saturday 25 January.
At Nantwich Museum, you can explore the causes, buildup, and impact of the English Civil War, as well as the aftermath of the Battle of Nantwich.
In the Community Gallery, don’t miss The Royal Rumble, an exhibition created by University of Chester Archaeology students, featuring the English Civil War collections from the Grosvenor Museum in Chester. The exhibition is open until Saturday, 8 February.
In January, four Battle of Nantwich talks will take place at 7pm:
• Thursday, 9 January: Communication and Propaganda in the English Civil War
• Thursday, 16 January: Nantwich Surrounded: A Walled Garrison Town
• Thursday, 23 January: 1644: The Battle of Nantwich
• Thursday, 30 January: Civil War Battle Scars at St Mary’s Church, Nantwich
Additionally, three Civil War Walking Tours will take place:
• Saturday, 18 January: 11:00am
• Saturday, 25 January: 10:15am & 11:45am
All tours last approximately 1.5 hours.
Tickets for walks and talks can be purchased here.
Holly Holy Day
Here’s a breakdown of Holly Holy Day activities taking place at the Museum:
• 10am-3pm: Free craft activities for children in the Millennium Gallery.
• 10:15am & 11:45am: Guided Battle of Nantwich tours (1.5 hours). Tickets: £6 (children free, members £5). Book tickets here.
• 12pm: 17th-century music performance by Forlorn Hope in the Millennium Gallery.
• 1pm onwards: Wargame in the Millennium Gallery using the Battle of Nantwich model. Gamers will see if the battle’s outcome was inevitable. After lunch, you might hear the commanders issuing orders.
• Staff and volunteers: On hand to share insights about the Battle of Nantwich model and weaponry.
More information about Nantwich and the Civil War can be found on the Museum’s Civil War Centre facebook page here.
Information about activities taking place across the town can be found on the Holly Holy Day website here.
We also have a range of booklets on topics connected to the English Civil War which can be found on our shop page here.
