The Sealed Knot at Great Tew Park

Great Tew Park Becomes a Royalist Stronghold Under Siege

The Sealed Knot returns to Great Tew Park for one of its "Major" events for 2026, staged across parkland that has belonged to the same estate since the late 1500s. The society bills it as "Great Tew: A Battle for the Cotswolds," a weekend of Civil War living history built around a devised siege rather than a re-enactment of any single historic engagement.

The living history camp and activities tent open at 11.30am both days, with soldiers demonstrating 17th-century weapons drill and camp life, "have a go" sessions for visitors, a drums and colours display, and activity sheets and treasure hunts for children. The main battle starts around 2pm, when a Parliamentarian force of hundreds of infantry, cavalry and artillery attempts to storm the "Royalist stronghold" across the park. Food and drink traders work the site, or bring your own picnic. Organisers advise chairs for anyone with mobility issues, and ear defenders for children or anyone sensitive to musket and cannon fire.

Great Tew's own 17th-century owner, Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland, really did fight for the King, and was killed at the First Battle of Newbury in 1643. He never saw his own park under siege. This weekend, in fiction, it is.

Sunday 30 – Monday 31 August 2026 · Great Tew Park, Great Tew, Oxfordshire OX7 4AF · Gates 11am