16/05/2026
Today is the 380th anniversary of the Fall of Hartlebury Castle ⚔️ Throughout the English Civil War, the Castle was garrisoned for King Charles I by 120 men, commanded by Captain William Sandys.
However, on 16th May 1646, Parliamentarian forces led by Colonel Morgan took the Castle after a siege of just two days, without a significant fight. The sight of a formidable cannon with the destruction and death it promised, and Morgan’s threat regarding their surrender – ‘which if you refuse to do, the world will witness against you to be the cause of the effusion of all the blood which shall be spilt in the reducing of this place’ – worked to land the Castle in the enemy’s hands 💥
The role of Bishops was also abolished so Bishop Prideaux, Bishop of Worcester at the time, was forced to leave Worcester with all he could carry on three horses. He sadly later died a poor man on a pittance of a Parliament pension.
We’re marking this fascinating era of the site’s history and the anniversary year at The Sealed Knot – The Fall of Hartlebury Castle from Saturday 25th to Sunday 26th July. The largest re-enactment society in Europe will be bringing the Civil War to life at this fundraising event for Hartlebury Castle Trust, supported by Wychavon District Council.
During the weekend, a torch-led procession will also culminate in the unveiling of a commemorative stone to remember the many lives lost during the war.
This will be generously donated by The Sealed Knot Society Official and the Charles Gerard's Regiment of Foote, along with an information board about the role of the Castle in the Civil War and the archaeological investigations of the onsite bastion by Dig Hartlebury.
Thank you so much to The Sealed Knot, and we can’t wait to immerse ourselves in the past with them this summer.
Book tickets for The Sealed Knot – The Fall of Hartlebury Castle here: https://hartleburycastle.com/event/sealed-knot-fall-of-hartlebury
First photo credit: Steve Hole.
