The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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The Battle of Stewart Park
Cromwell’s foot soldiers and the King’s Cavaliers clash in a re-enactment of an English Civil War battle at Stewart Park in Middlesbrough.
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Overview
Reconnecting with a rebellious past, a muster of New Model Army troops and wig-wearing Royalists prepare for a major skirmish in Middlesbrough. One hot summer weekend, the sounds of musket shot, cannon and the clash of brandished pikes ring out in Stewart Park, courtesy of an English Civil War Society re-enactment. During a lull in battle, the soldiers return to camp, strolling players perform mimes, and corn dollies are on show at the ‘authentic’ 17th Century Faire.
This film was produced and narrated by Middlesbrough-based amateur camerawoman Betty Cook, who was also the President of the Cleveland Cine Society and the North East Cine Society. She filmed many events in the region from the 1960s through to the 1980s. Stewart Park is Middlesbrough’s largest public park, gifted to the people by Councillor Thomas Dormand Stewart and officially opened to the public on May 23, 1928. It was intended to be “a public possession, open and accessible to all the people for all time”.
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