During Museums and Galleries Month 2007 24 Hour Museum is picking out some interesting museum, gallery and heritage events from its listings...
Visitors to the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon will be able to take a bird’s eye view of one of the most significant battles in English history during Museums and Galleries Month 2007.
The museum has joined up with the Huntingdon and District Wargames Society to recreate the English Civil War Battle of Naseby on May 5 and 6, pitting Parliamentary troops under Oliver Cromwell against Royalist forces.
The original Battle of Naseby was fought on June 14 1645, about 30 miles west of Huntingdon. Cromwell’s New Model Army destroyed King Charles I's army in the fight, although the outcome of the tabletop battle, featuring hundreds of miniature figurines, is not so certain, explained museum curator John Goldsmith:
“The real battle took a little over three hours but we are running it over two days to give all our visitors a chance of helping to determine the outcome.”
“We are delighted the Society is enthusiastic about recreating the battle – they may even do it twice!”
Cromwell’s role in the battle as a cavalry commander was significant, but over the Bank Holiday weekend visitors to the museum will have a chance to become involved with the wargame and maybe even change the course of history.
Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon in 1599 and became MP for Cambridge before leading the Parliamentarians to victory in the Civil War. He became Lord Protector in 1653, replacing the monarchy, which was only restored in 1660.
