Civil War Re-enactment Event in Wem

We are not involved in this local event but are keen to highlight it for the wider community and to support the initiative to celebrate this area’s important Civil War heritage. 

Step into a compelling chapter of English history just a short distance from Soulton Hall at the “Wem 1643. A Seventeenth Century Weekend.”

The Militias of Anglia are bring Civil War enactment to Wem

This immersive event, taking place in nearby Wem on Saturday, May 17th, and Sunday, May 18th, 2025, at the Butler Sports Centre, Bowens Field, Wem (SY4 5AP), promises a captivating journey into the dramatic era of the English Civil War for the entire family.

While grand battles often dominate narratives of the English Civil War (or the War of the Three Kingdoms), the story of Wem in 1643 stands as a powerful testament to local courage and strategic importance.

A Militias Of Anglia encampment

In September 1643, Wem made a significant declaration for Parliament, becoming the first town in Shropshire to align with their cause. This bold act quickly drew the attention of Royalist forces, who dispatched a substantial army of around 5,000 soldiers under Lord Capel. Yet, against overwhelming odds, the mere 40 Parliamentarian defenders of Wem, famously aided by the bravery of the town’s women, repelled the attack. The enduring local saying, “The women of Wem and a few musketeers defeated Lord Capel and all his cavaliers,” vividly illustrates their pivotal role.

For Soulton Hall, this historical episode holds a particularly intriguing connection. A little under 90 years before these C17th events, Old Sir Rowland Hill, a key figure deeply involved in the establishment of the Geneva Bible, resided within these walls and built the current hall.

C17th living history comes to Wem

His politically volatile library is understood to have housed a copy of Magna Carta. Furthermore, the Geneva Bible, the favoured scripture of the Parliamentarians and a common companion to Cromwell’s troops, is for ever linked to this place and its reformist annotations shaping the intellectual and religious landscape of the time made this house at least as important as guns and food in this episimoloical conflict.

Considering Sir Rowland Hill’s influence and the certainty that both sides would have certainly have anticipated that the presence of such nationally significant documents at Soulton Hall, the Royalist campaign against Wem takes on a compelling new dimension.

The relatively short duration of the campaign, coupled with the presence of a substantial baggage train of 120 wagons and the Royalists’ failure to secure Wem, strongly suggests that their primary objective may have been the safeguarding – or perhaps even the acquisition – of these vital state papers, including Magna Carta and the influential theological texts, held at Soulton Hall. The spirited defence of Wem, in this context, could be viewed as a crucial act in ensuring their control.

The “Wem 1643. A Seventeenth Century Weekend” offers a unique opportunity to step back into this dramatic period and contemplate these fascinating links to our local heritage and the historical treasures that once resided within Soulton Hall. The event schedule includes:

Saturday, May 17th, 2025:

• 10:00 AM: Gates Open
• 11:00 AM: Pike and Musket Drill Display
• 11:40 AM: Children’s Drill
• 1:00 PM: Lunch Break for Re-enactors
• 2:00 PM: Artillery Display
• 3:00 PM: Seventeenth Century Fashion Showcase and Talk on the formidable women of the English Civil War, culminating in the inspiring story of the women of Wem.
• 4:00 PM: Skirmish and All Arms Demonstration
• 4:30 PM: Children’s Drill
• 5:00 PM: Event Closes

Sunday, May 18th, 2025:

• 10:00 AM: Gates Open
• 12:30 PM: Talk at St Peters and St Paul’s Church by Keith Lawrence from the Cheshire Civil War Centre at Nantwich Museum, exploring the actions in Wem and their relation to the Cheshire campaign.
• 4:00 PM: Event Closes

Throughout the weekend, a living history encampment will offer a glimpse into 17th-century life, alongside engaging children’s activities and a traditional fayre.

Admission to this immersive historical experience is priced at £7.50 for adults, £5 for children under 16 and students, £3.50 for senior citizens and those with limited means, and is free for children under 5.

Organized by The Militias of Anglia, this event promises an enriching and engaging weekend for visitors of all ages, providing a tangible link to a pivotal moment in history that may have directly influenced the very treasures held within Soulton Hall. Please be aware that the reenactments will involve loud sounds, so those with sensitive hearing may wish to take precautions. For the comfort and safety of all, please note that dogs are not permitted in the display areas.

Enactment of the Civil War when it dramatically came to Wem in 1643

We invite you to journey to Wem and explore this captivating chapter of our shared past, perhaps allowing your imagination to wander back to a time when the fate of national treasures may have rested, in part, on the events that unfolded just beyond our doorstep.

Poster for the Wem 1643 event, May 2025