THE sound of musket fire echoed around the centre of Coleford as the anniversary of a Civil War battle in the town was commemorated.

On February 21 1643, a militia made up of men from around the Forest confronted a 2,000-strong Welsh Royalist army marching on Gloucester.

The event on Saturday was the 15th commemoration organised by the Sealed Knot Civil War re-enactment society.

The group takes its name from a secret society formed after the Civil War for the return of the monarchy.

It started with Sealed Knot members in authentic 17th century costumes marching from Mushet Walk to the clocktower.

A posy was laid by Fraser Cross and Henry Huck-Jones on the memorial to those who died in the battle.

A prayer was read by Keith James of Woolaston and Lillie Wildin, a Year 10 student at Five Acres High School read a poem about the battle written in Forest dialect by Keith Morgan of Coleford.

Mayor of Coleford Cllr Nick Penny welcomed the re-enactors to the town.

He said the event was one of many planned for the town this year including a two commemoration of the battle on August 8 and 9 in the town centre and at the Angus Buchanan recreation ground.

Ian Blyth, a captain in the Sealed Knot.

He said: “This was an important engagement.

I like to think it changed the direction of the war because Gloucester would have been taken much early.

“A local man, Colonel Berrow had formed a militia to protect Coleford and the Forest of Dean.

“The men were recruited from towns and villages throughout the Forest and numbered nearly 1,000.

“They knew this Royalist Welsh army was on its way so the militia congregated in Coleford.

“The Royalist army entered Coleford by way of Newland Street.”