Culture, Events & Entertainment, Wimborne | Posted on September 9th, 2024 | return to news
Rain fails to dampen Wimborne Militia’s 25th anniversary celebration
Miserable weekend weather failed to dampen the fighting spirit of the Wimborne Militia during it 25th anniversary celebrations.
The miserable weekend weather certainly didn’t dampen the gunpowder of Wimborne’s famous Militia.
The town’s famous, red-coated reenactment group of 1685 welcomed visitors to a special, free family festival to celebrate their 25th anniversary.
Chris Brown, Town Mayor’s Serjant for Wimborne Militia and the man who came up with the idea of reinstating a town militia 25 years ago, said: “We wanted to thank the people of Wimborne for all their support over the past 25 years with this special festival”.
A military encampment came to life in a field just outside the town with a host of historical societies and experts from all over the country joining the event. Visitors enjoyed a chance to experience the sounds, sights and smells of the 17th century with ancient skills such as cooking courtesy of the Time Traveller’s Kitchen from 1666.
There was also needleworking and armoury on show along with games and music from the past. ‘King of the Smugglers’ and former Wimborne resident Isaac Gulliver smuggled himself in to reveal his contraband and tools of the smuggling trade.
Historical group Deeds of Arms presented life aboard a Royal Navy warship 200 years ago with visitors enjoying a chance to meet the men and women who fought against Napolean and some onlookers even being press ganged into the Royal Navy!
On the Saturday afternoon, Tchaikovsky’s iconic 1812 overture was performed as it was meant to be – with live cannon fire from Wimborne Militia! Visitors also enjoyed musket drills and a chance to try on battle dress.
Chris Brown said: “Despite the weather we had a great day with our talkie tent packed out as people listened to an array of historical experts. It was wonderful to see the living history depicting skills and aspects of life as would have been lived on these very fields hundreds of years ago.”
Due to continued rain on the Sunday and unsafe conditions underfoot, the Sunday morning events were unfortunately cancelled. However, the weekend was rounded off in the afternoon with a formal recognition of an Austrian arm of the town’s militia, set up by former Wimborne resident and Wimborne militia member Kingsley Longfoot.
Chris Brown said: “The Militia has expanded over the years, and it’s been wonderful this weekend to have the company of our newly formed Militia cohort all the way from Austria, complete with their own Standard.”
A special blessing of the Austrian militia standard was carried out by Wimborne Minster’s Canon Andrew Rowland upon the Minster Green with Wimborne Town Mayor Jeff Hart in attendance.
The Wimborne Militia anniversary event rounded off the town’s first Summer of History programme for this year, which has included a spectacular reenactment of the Battle of Wimborne by the English Civil War Society, special events to commemorate D-Day, historical talks and a new exhibition at the Museum of East Dorset ‘Rebellion and Revolt’ which looks at the impact of the English Civil War across Dorset, which remains open until October.
This anniversary celebration was funded by the Wimborne Militia with support from Wimborne Minster Town Council and the Wimborne BID.
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