27/06/2026
More than 2,000 people) including Sir John Gell's Regiment of Foote) are expected to take part in a large historical re-enactment in the Cotswolds this summer, close to Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm. The event is likely to attract both local interest and visitors with a passion for history.
The re-enactment will take place over the August bank holiday weekend at the Great Tew Estate, near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire. Organised by the Sealed Knot, one of the country’s best-known historical re-enactment groups, the event is titled A Battle for the Cotswolds and will recreate scenes from the English Civil War.
Taking place on Sunday 30 August and Monday 31 August, the event will see more than 2,000 re-enactors dressed as Parliamentarian and Royalist soldiers. The estate will be transformed into a 17th-century battlefield, complete with cannon fire, cavalry charges and carefully choreographed infantry manoeuvres.
Visitors will be able to watch the main battle displays as well as explore a living history camp across the grounds. Throughout the day, members of the public can meet re-enactors in period clothing, view historical displays and take part in activities designed to bring the Civil War period to life.
A major feature of the weekend will be the grand battle finale, involving hundreds of participants, artillery units and mounted cavalry. The battle scenario will portray Parliamentarian forces attempting to take control of a Royalist stronghold, creating a dramatic close to the programme.
The event will run each day from 11am until 5pm. Tickets are priced at £20 for families, £10 for adults and £5 for concessions, with free entry for children under five and carers. Tickets will be available both in advance through the Sealed Knot’s official website and at the gate on the day.
Alongside the historical displays, visitors will also find refreshments on site, including a barista coffee service, tea station and beer tent, making the event suitable for a full day out.
The Great Tew area has strong links to the Civil War period. Nearby places such as Edge Hill, Cropredy Bridge and Stow-on-the-Wold were connected with important battles between Royalist and Parliamentarian forces.
The estate also has an earlier intellectual history. Before the Civil War, Great Tew was home to Lucius Cary, Viscount Falkland, who hosted the Great Tew Circle, a group of writers and thinkers known for their discussions on politics, philosophy, religion and opposition to authoritarian rule.
With its combination of living history, education and spectacle, the upcoming event is expected to draw considerable public attention, offering a vivid glimpse into the Civil War era just a few miles from one of Britain’s most famous modern farms.
Why not come and watch? You might get a glimpse of Clarkson himself!
Better still, why not come and join us for the weekend and feel it yourself? We offer temporary membership, the cost of which is deducted from a full membership if you then decide to join us.
We'd love to see you there!
