Sir John Gell's Regiment Of Foot

31/03/2026

13/02/2026

Come and see Gells in action at our first main event of the year at Deene Park.
DEENE PARK PLUNDERED

“A noble legacy shaken by the storm of Civil War in Northamptonshire”

A FULL DAY OF INTERACTIVE HISTORY FOR ALL THE FAMILY 3rd & 4th OF MAY 2026.

WE INVITE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO STEP BACK IN HISTORY WITH US

Watch and experience first-hand, the thrill and excitement of large musket volleys, pike engagements, with drums and colours and the full panoply of the 17th Century. Soldiers and civilians demonstrate life during this turbulent period of history.

Members of the Sealed Knot will create a reenactment of fictional encounters between elements of Parliamentary and local Royalist forces with the finale each day being a battle involving hundreds of seventeenth century soldiers with accompanying cannon fire and cavalry charges.

Our Living History encampment and activities tent will be open throughout the day and will give a close-up portrayal of life in the 17th Century and allow interaction between the public and re-enactors to both entertain and educate.

The Society and event organisers will showcase Local and National Heritage in a dedicated Heritage Zone. Visitors can meet heritage organisations, societies and visitor attractions, showcasing the county’s rich diversity of history and heritage. Food and Drink will also be on public sale.

Location: Deene Park Estate, Northamptonshire,

Porter Lodge Entrance: NN17 3EG (off the A43)

Event Opening Times.

11.30am – 5pm Sunday 3rd of May 2026

11.30am – 4.30pm Monday 4th of May 2026

Performance Times

Our arena and timetabled displays are all included in your ticket price.

The main battle starts at 2:30 pm.

All Day Activities

“Making History in Action Accessible – bringing the past to life to aid and benefit the future”.

Watch pre battle drill displays of Civil War soldiers, drums, colours and calvary
Explore Civilian life in our Living History camp.
Take part in our ‘have a go’ activities.
Complete our kid’s activity sheets and treasure hunts.
Visit our Heritage Zone showcasing Local and National history and heritage.
Witness the spectacle of our main battle.

Food and Drink

Food and drink vendors are available on site, or feel free to bring a picnic and enjoy your lunch whilst immersed in history.

Ticket Prices

£20 Per Family (2 Adults & 3 Children)

£10 Per Individual Adult

£5 Concessions (OAP’S and Children under 16 years of age)

Carers and Children under 5 enter free.

Book your tickets here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thesealedknotltd/2027979

13/02/2026

One of our members playing ECW marches on a Djembe (African drum) last night. Accompanied by a non-reenactor friend who was freestyling.

11/09/2025

Fantastic shot from Sir George Lisle's Regiment, taken during the siege of Worcester.

10/09/2025

The Life of Sir John Gell, part 2.

Before the civil wars, he graduated from Magdalen college, Oxford. He then lived at Kedleston before moving back to Hopton in 1620.

He was one of the wealthiest men in Derbyshire, with his income mostly derived from the lead industry and and sheep.
This included royalty payments he received from lead mines in Tideswell, Hope, and nearby Bakewell.
He became rather unpopular locally, due to his combative nature, which lead to long, drawn-out disputes over amounts due.

In 1625/26 Charles I levied a forced loan to fund wars after parliament refused further grants. (To go into detail about that would be a lengthy post in itself). Gell only contributed a nominal amount to that, and refused to fund the local Trained Band in 1630, therefore marking him as an opponent of Charles I.
There was a period of personal rule between 1629 & 1640, where Gell (and men of a similar standing) were in charge of collecting monies owed to the crown. Unfortunately, this made them liable for the entire amount!
In 1632, John and his brother Thomas were appointed joint receivers of the Honour of Tutbury. This was the name given to the Staffordshire & Derbyshire estates of the Duchy of Lancaster, a royal possession. In 1635, John Gell was then made High Sheriff of Derbyshire. Unfortunately, this then gave him responsibility for collecting the highly controversial tax referred to as 'ship money'. This was a tax levied (initially on coastal towns) to fund ships for defence against enemies; but later extended to inland counties by tje monarch, without parliament approval.

When Duchy rented went unpaid, the Gell brothers resorted to tactics such as siezing property, which lead to widespread resentment. One of those affected was Sir John Stanhope, which eventually led to Chesterfield supporting the royalists in the first civil war.

With war looming, the monarch raised some money by selling honours, and John Gell purchased as Baronetcy for £300 in January 1642. This would have been over £35,000 in today's money.

To be continued in part 3, as we haven't even touched on the war yet!

08/09/2025

08/09/2025

The Life of Sir John Gell, part 1.

Sir John Gell was born a member of the landed gentry in 22 June 1593, in Hopton, Derbyshire.
He was born to Thomas Gell (1532-1594) and Millicent Sacheverell (1571-1618).
His father sadly died shortly before the birth of his younger brother, Thomas. His mother later married John Curzon of Kedleston Hall. John Gell lived there until he was 21, and formed a close relationship with his half brother, Sir John Curzon.
Sir John Gell married Elizabeth Willoughby in January 1609, and they had six children together: Millicent, Bridget, John, William, Elizabeth and Eleanor. They all survived into adulthood, with William being the first to die, aged 28. Amazingly, Elizabeth loved to be 90, which was quite a feature for the time!
His wife died in 1644, and he remarried Mary Stanhope, widow of Sir John Stanhope. This provoked many comments and even some gossip amongst their neighbours! Mary belonged to the leading Royalist family in Derbyshire, while Gell had pursued a long feud with Mary's first husband, followed by her brother-in-law following her first husband's death.
Their marriage lasted less than a year, before it was dissolved.

The photograph is of his birthplace, Hopton Hall, which was owned by the Gell family until 1989! (Image credit: Savills).

07/09/2025

📖 Campfire Jokes with Sir John Gell

Even soldiers needed a laugh now and then! Around the campfires of the English Civil War, Sir John Gell & his comrades might have shared Jests like this around the campfire!

⚔️ Civil War Jests

😂 Why did the Cavalier wear such long hair?
Because it covered the fact his brain was as short as his powder!

😂 What do you call a Parliamentarian who forgets his musket?
A pacifist — if only by accident!

😂 Why did the drummer refuse to fight?
Because he didn’t want to beat the enemy too hard!

😂 What’s the difference between a Cavalier’s horse and his hat?
One carries him into battle, the other carries all his vanity.

😂 Why did Sir John Gell never lose at cards?
Because he always had a good Roundhead.

😂 How do you know a soldier’s had too much ale?
When his pike falls before he does.

Please share your favourites with us and we'll publish them in a new post, with credit to the author.

06/09/2025

Reposted the previous video clips as pictures, so they can be read easily.

06/09/2025

My copy is very tatty, so I copied the text, digitised it, added pictures and made a short video. All text is ©️ Knot the Baggage

06/09/2025