Old wounds will be reopened this weekend as a landmark battle fought centuries ago will be re-fought on a farm near Alresford.
The Battle of Cheriton will be reenacted on the very same field where Parliamentarians and Royalists fought 380 years ago.
The battle on March 29, 1644, was the biggest to take place in Hampshire and marked a pivotal moment in the English Civil War.
But no blood will be spilled this time round with members of The Sealed Knot Society determined to educate, exhilarate and entertain families and history enthusiasts alike with a weekend of military displays and battles.
Potential visitors got a taste of things to come early this month when members of Europe’s biggest reenactment group drummed up interest at Winchester Hat Fair.
The group wore reproduction clothing for their PR push with long-term Sealed Knot member, Richard Pearce, keen to highlight the long-term impact of the conflict on today’s government.
He said: “I feel quite passionately that we need to keep history alive and learn from mistakes made in the past.
“Cheriton is quite unusual in that it’s almost untouched since the battle was fought, as a lot of heritage and battlefield sites are built on.
“To have Hampshire’s biggest battlefield, a site where 20,000 men fought, almost untouched is really quite special. And to be able to recreate the battle on the site is something we’re incredibly lucky to do.”
Their “vivid and immersive” reenactment of the battle will be the centrepiece of a weekend which will include living history displays and information from historical societies ranging from the Viking to Napoleonic eras.
Sealed Knot have a programme of reenactment events and their members often travel the length and breadth of the country to take part.
Richard and his wife, Katie, live in Alton so won’t be travelling far but they’ve found kinship and enjoyment in the lifestyle, while it’s also been good for their children.
Mr Pearce added: “It’s a great hobby for anyone and we’ve found our children have become more confident with adults earlier because they’re treated by adults and the clothes are a real equaliser.
“Escapism is a common theme and quite often you’ll finish work, get away and arrive in a field in Herefordshire with people like yourself. You put your clothes on and I can genuinely say you leave your everyday troubles and world behind for the weekend.
“Clothing is a cottage industry and we’ve got a lady who is a seamstress who makes our coats and the weapons are modern reproductions.
“The tactics and drills are all from 1639-44 drill manuals so we try and make it authentic as possible. If you want to watch a battle I want you to understand what it was really like, and that’s what we try to do.”
The Battle of Cheriton reenactment weekend will take place this Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am to 4.30pm at Scrubbs Farm, S024 0HR, for more details visit www.thesealedknot.org.uk