Thousands of people and hundreds of soldiers are set to descend on Nantwich for Holly Holy Day.
The annual event, this Saturday January 24, celebrates the Battle of Nantwich of 1644 – a key battle during the English Civil War.
And the celebration survives each year thanks to members of the town’s Holly Holy Day Society, a small non-profit group of people working with Sealed Knot and Rotary.
They raise funds and organise the event, including a variety of entertainment throughout the day culminating in the re-enactment of the Battle of Nantwich by Sealed Knot soldiers.
On the day, there will be face painting, horses on parade, Domesday morris dancing, hog roast, book signings by Civil War authors, Pillory re-enactment on Pillory Street, and Civil War tours and demonstrations by Nantwich Museum.
On the town square, Redshift Radio will be hosting entertainment between 10am and 2pm.
This will include performances from The Funky Choir, morris dancers, Wistaston Youth Drama Group, Nantwich Players, Mark Brisbourne, and the wreath-laying ceremony.
Sealed Knot soldiers will then march to Mill Island for the Battle of Nantwich re-enactment between the Cavaliers and Roundheads.
The event is backed by a number of local companies such as Atherton Associates, Mornflake, Cheerbrook, Applewood Independent, Hall Smith & Whittingham, 1st Choice For Homes, Howard Worth and more.
Crewe & Nantwich MP Edward Timpson, Patron of Holly Holy Society, said: “I am pleased to see more local businesses than ever before have come forward to sponsor and support Holly Holy Day.
“This is important because the event could not exist financially without it, and it’s in everyone’s interests we put our area on the map.
“The Holly Holy Day Society is the very small group of volunteers who raise the funds, and organise and stage this important day in our local calendar.
“My thanks as always go to them for all their hard work behind the scenes, and for giving up so much of their spare time so that the rest of us can have this enjoyable experience.
“If you think you can help in any way with future events, please do get in touch with them via the website – they merit our appreciation and any assistance you can offer.”
Current Holly Holy Day Society members are Keith Cafferty (Chairman), Shaun Cafferty (Vice Chairman) Cllr Graham Fenton (Secretary/Treasurer), Kate Dobson (Nantwich Museum), Michael-John Parkin, Liz Southall and David Wilson.
Within the Society, the Sealed Knot is represented by Colin Bissett and Jez Harper, and Rotary by Martin Willescroft.
A full schedule and times for the day can be found in this brochure.
(All pictures by Jan Wilson of Brackendale Photography)
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