NO HOPE OF RESCUE
As the English Civil War reached its dreadful bloody climax, the royalist defenders of Dunster Castle were facing defeat.
Worse, they were facing starvation and disease. The parliamentarian siege was crippling the already weak and struggling garrison.
Food was scarce, water in short supply, gunpowder stores were running out and disease was beginning to bite.
Parliament's artillery continued to batter away at the walls as the men, women and children inside, weakened, sickened and died.
The siege and the final royalist surrender was a ghastly affair.
What was it like?
What did the soldiers do as the siege continued?
What did they eat?
How did the defenders try and fight back?
What did the actual surrender look like?
The TAUNTON GARRISON has the answers.
On Sat 14th & Sun 15th March, we will be at Dunster Castle showing what a desperate royalist garrison would have looked like during the last few days of the gruesome siege.
We will be based in the crypt but will have soldiers and garrison folk around the castle grounds as well.
We will finish both days by showcasing what the surrender would have looked like including some very curious traditions.
Hope to see you there!
#history #reenactment