The big guns were out in Greta Park today, Saturday 24 April, and although to do with politics it wasn’t a general election clash and nor was it the crossing of swords over the Rose Bowl car-parking controversy, but John Bright’s Regiment of Foote setting up camp as part of Hedge End’s St George Fest’s Family Fun Day.

John Bright’s Regiment of Foote is a Parliamentarian infantry unit and a member of the re-enactment organisation the Roundhead Association, part of the English Civil War Society and they were providing a mixture of displays and areas of living history.

 Tony Cullen, who was today playing the part of the Preacher explained, ‘We try to be as authentic as possible, and we're learning things ourselves all the time. It’s tremendous fun, pure escapism. We get to dress up, fight battles and fire guns.’

The Parliamentarians were joined for the day by members of the Royalist’s Sir Thomas Tyldesley’s Regiment and which today saw Kate Harris temporarily swap allegiance and become a Parliamentarian, and intent on spending the day ‘catching up on sewing’.

One thing you wouldn’t have seen 350 years ago is a woman commander, but in the equality-conscious times of 2010 – albeit dressed as a man – today Victoria Bristow is Commanding Officer of John Bright’s Regiment of Foote.  She says of being in the Regiment, ‘It’s great fun. I grew up doing this – my dad joined when he was 15.’

The people of Hedge End were treated to seeing (and hearing!) the canon fire, a surprise attack, and taken through various drill procedures for pikemen and musketeers. The drummer played different battlefield messages needed to relay instructions to the troops and Fun Day visitors were also able to talk to the re-enactors, see their equipment and generally get a taste of what life was like during the English Civil War.

John Bristow is normally a lieutenant but today was a private and a musketeer. Asked why he had joined John Bright’s Regiment of Foote he said it was because he had friends in the unit and, like most re-enactors not due to allegiance to any particular cause, but added that ‘back in the 17th century I probably would have been a Parliamentarian. At heart I would have been a man of the people.’

Although the Fun Day finished at 4.00pm today you may still see Roundheads and Cavaliers around and about in Hedge End until midday tomorrow as they’ll be encamped in the town overnight.

Greta Park also played host for the Fun Day to stalls, a beer tent and various other performers including Ticklish Allsorts’ Punch and Judy show and live music from Feckless and Four Nil.

They say never perform with animals and children but Falconhigh did both with Jake, the Harris Hawk, star performer in a falconry display – see photo number 3!

There was Morris dancing, Chequered Flag performed Appalachian dancing which originated in the Appalachian Mountains in America and was the forerunner of tap-dancing, and Hampshire Garland gave a display of traditional ladies dancing from the 17th century and which came from the factories of the north west of the country.  

Fun Day visitor Pam Maddison who’s lived in Hedge End for 20 years summed up the day. ‘This is a great event for all the family. We particularly came to see the re-enactment, but there’s so much going on, something for everyone and it’s great because we could walk here – and it’s especially nice that it’s been such a beautiful sunny day.’

For more information about John Bright's Regiment of Foote or Sir Thomas Tyldesley’s Regiment of Foote see their websites.

And if you saw the warning in the St George Fest flyer about the guns being loud – they certainly were! And having nipped over the border at the end of the afternoon I can confirm you could even hear them from West End.

To see more photos of the Family Fun Day visit the Hedgeendpeople gallery 'Hedge End's St George Fest Family Fun Day' - and if you have any photos of the day why not create your own gallery, or share your experiences by writing a story or commenting on this one!