Visit Chirk Castle on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July for a special treat, as the castle welcomes the Pikemen & Musketeers of the Honourable Artillery Company for a celebration of Chirk Castle’s Civil War history, and also the historic link between the Company and Sir Thomas Myddelton, who bought the castle in 1595.

[aoa id=”1″]The Company of Pikemen & Musketeers, in shining armour and with pikes and muskets, will be entertaining visitors to Chirk Castle on 20 and 21 July. Apart from the colour and pageantry, be prepared for a few loud bangs of musket fire as they demonstrate how an army fought at the time of the Civil War![/aoa]

The Company will be parading on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 1pm both days. The company will be on site until around 2:30pm, and there will be plenty of opportunity for visitors to meet members of the Company after the display.

The Pikemen & Musketeers are a ceremonial unit of the Honourable Artillery Company (the ‘HAC’), the oldest regiment in the British Army, which traces its origins back to a charter granted by King Henry VIII in 1537.

The Pikemen & Musketeers are governed by a Royal Warrant, and tasked with providing a ceremonial bodyguard for the Lord Mayor of the City of London. This includes escorting his State Coach during the Lord Mayor’s Show each November, providing honour guards for state banquets and dinners at Guildhall, Mansion House and for other occasions in the City. There is an historic connection with Sir Thomas Myddelton who bought Chirk Castle in 1595 and was Lord Mayor of London in 1613.

Also present on both days will be Brian Godwin, the National Trust firearms advisor who will be taking some of Chirk Castle’s historic Civil War musket collection down off the walls to show them to visitors. Brian will be on hand both days to answer questions and share his knowledge.