Greater insight into Newbury civil war battle

Interpretation panel for Falkland Memorial

AN interpretation board to give a better insight into Newbury’s role in the English Civil War will be unveiled this weekend.

The Falkland Memorial, commemorating the First Battle of Newbury in 1643, will display the board to provide information to visitors.

The memorial, in Wash Common, is one of Berkshire’s most prominent roadside landmarks, but as much of the inscription is in Greek and Latin, the majority of its information is lost to passers-by.

Now, the National Trust, The Battlefield Trust and Newbury Town Council have joined forces to broaden people’s understanding of the key battle, which turned the tide of the fight for power against the Royalists.

The unveiling ceremony, performed by the director general of the National Trust, Dame Helen Ghosh, will start at 2pm on Sunday – the 372nd anniversary of the battle.

Lord Falkland, whose ancestor was Lucias Cary, Viscount Falkland, after whom the memorial is named, will also attend.

The ceremony will be followed by a guided walk around the battlefield led by local resident Dave Stubbs.

The Sealed Knot, who recreate the uniforms and weaponry of the Civil War period, will mount an honour guard and showing displays of 17th century military drill.