Author: Nicholas Holmes

Orders of the day, Volume 37, Issue 1, 2005

Hampshire is a county rich in Civil War connections, not least of which is Cheriton. The major battle fought here on 29th March 1644 resulted in a decisive Parliamentary victory, halted the Royalist conquest of the region and marked a turning point in the war.

The exact location of the battle is still hotly disputed, as are the actions of the enigmatic Sir Henry Bard whose rashness in advancing his brigade unsupported against the Parliamentarian centre decided its course. Sir Henry, who was described as a "compact body of vanity and ambitions" lost an arm and was captured for his trouble, but recovered to lead a brigade a year later at Naseby.

Cheriton, as the accompanying photos show, has managed to avoid the fate of so many other British battle sites and has largely resisted encroachment. Although a minor road now traverses its centre, the wood still stands and the rest of the battlefield is still open ground, just as it was over 350 years ago.

The latest issue, Vol XXVIII/III, of Arquebusier (the Journal of the Pike and Shot Society), features a new interpretation of the battle by John Dixon. The author, who is a Civil War enthusiast and gamer with a long-standing interest in the battlefield, has produced an important and thought-provoking article which will be of wide interest given the commemorative events planned for next season.

The Pike and Shot Society is an international organisation aimed at promoting interest in the military of the period 1400-1720. Founded nearly 30 years ago, its membership consists of both academics and members of the public from all over the world, brought together by a common interest in warfare in the early modern world. Its journal Arquebusier is published six times a year and contains articles, reviews and news of interest to members.

For details of Arquebusier and the Pike and Shot Society contact the Membership Officer: Iain Stanford, 95 Tolbut Court, Lennox Close, Romford, RM1 2DZ, iain.stanford@btinternet.com.