Keep Your Powder Dry

  The opening salvo in the Worcestershire ECW Travelogue entry... or is it? The 'big ticket' item for Worcestershire* is clearly Worcester - the Commandery and the Battles of Worcester and Powick Bridge . The Norman Church of St Augustine in Droitwich was badly damaged in a siege in 1642. The church was occupied by Parliamentarian troops. Royalists attacked, and in the process destroyed the nave, tower and south transept. The church would be rebuilt in the eighteenth century. It is thought that the area surrounding the church was fortified by the Royalists, a short length of backfilled ditch being discovered during excavations in the early 1980s. The vicar at the time of the Civil Wars was William Jones, was banished during the Commonwealth, returning in 1660 to resume his ministry.  Dudley** Castle was garrisoned for the King, the governor was Colonel Thomas Leveson . Besieged by Lord Denbigh in June 1644, the castle held out against his force of 3500 men and a 32 pounder...

The Commandery in Worcester is a magnificent building rooted in the history of the ancient city of Worcester. For the ECW gamer it becomes particularly relevant as Charles II's headquarters during the Battle of Worcester.  The building has been beautifully renovated, and is approached from the city centre by crossing a bridge which has a balustrade resplendent with pikes, breast plates and helmets. The galleries were revamped last year, and now tell the tale of Worcester in the Civil Wars more appropriately.  The galleries don't just tell the story of the building during the Civil Wars but also it's  role in medieval times.  For the ECW aficionado there are a number of artefacts and interpretive panels, some reproduction uniforms and artillery pieces, as well as some hands on exhibits for the small people. But what really shines out is the beauty of the building itself. Bank holiday weekends often have a re-enactment society event on...