Heading into battle for hospice (From York Press)

Heading into battle for hospice

10:27am Friday 30th April 2010 in

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A CANNON will fire once again over Marston Moor near York – one of the most famous Civil War battlefields – during an event being staged next month in aid of St Leonard’s Hospice.

A group of English Civil War soldiers from Lilburnes and Glenhams regiment of the Sealed Knot, dressed in full uniform, will fire the cannon in honour of the fallen at White Sike, near the battlefield’s official burial site on Sunday, May 9.

The event will be part of The Marston Moor Guided Battlefield Walk & Cream Teas event.

The walk will be led by Russell Marwood, battlefields project officer at York Archaeological Trust. He will talk about the personalities and events of the battle, which took place on July 2, 1644, show the weapons the armies used and will lead the walk to show where the Royalists and Parliamentarians took up their positions in the battle.

The walk will start at Marston Grange, home to organiser Joanne Smakman, whose family farms on the battlefield and who is raising funds for St Leonard’s Hospice because the hospice cared for her brother-in-law John Shepherd. After the walk, cream teas will be served, with cakes and scones generously provided by the Bar Convent in York. Long Marston History Society is putting on displays and there will be a raffle, plant and cake stalls. Prizes in the raffle include a luxury Spa Day voucher for two people donated by Middlethorpe Hall.

• Tickets for the event, which begins at 2pm, cost £12 (£8 under 16s/free for under tens) and include the walk and tea. They should be obtained in advance from Joanne Smakman, phone 0798 420 1498 or email david.smakman@unicombox.com