Meet a face of the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment with #mancsmugs – Musketeer Katherine

We recently introduced a new feature on our Instagram account – Manchesters’ Mugs! It’s our way of introducing you to a face of our regiment.

We feature favourite photos from a member of The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote along with their reasons why each image is special and some of the stories about why they love reenacting with us – and encouraging you to join up too!

This time it’s the turn of Musketeer Katherine, who’s chosen some of her favourite photos…

“I went to my first muster in Sherbourne in 2014 with this guy I had started seeing that year – he had been in the Knot for about eight years at this point so it was a big deal to come along. I had made myself some ladies kit for one of the parties we had, and busied myself with anxiety about doing something SO DIFFERENT from the normal. But I needn’t have worried, as soon as I got there and met everyone it was like I’d known them for ages, and had a wonderful weekend (under a sky full of shooting stars) with the regiment.”

“After a season as a water carrier (the best way to see the battle and get a feel for what you want to do if you’re a bit unsure) I decided to join the musket block. We have such a ludicrous laugh together. Dan at the front here has a habit of taking ‘musketeer selfies’ which for YEARS I was always exactly behind someone’s head or gun, but this time I’ve managed to get right in there – see the joy?!”

“One of the things I think I’m most grateful to the Knot for is being a space in which I get to make things again. I don’t know anything about history but I studied art, and used to craft all the time, but having a project to work on and research to do and a whole cast of excellent approachable experts to quiz has made such a difference. I now make most of my kit, and really enjoy picking up embroidery projects to add to the richness of my on-field persona.”

“At each muster we tend to have a couple of parties so the regiment can get dressed up in fancy dress, play silly games and have a generally awesome time. Nowhere else have I had quite so many times to attend a 50th black tie cocktail party in a field in the rain!”

“This is my other persona outside of ‘soldier’ for when we do living history events – lady! Even though I’m not a Civil War history buff I have really enjoyed taking part in living history events and school visits to talk about the social history of the 17th Century, and ‘a woman’s place’. A particular highlight was being able to engage with and debate a group of very bright teenagers at a local school on women’s roles.”

“One of the great joys of Manchester’s is the range of events we get to do. From pure small-scale living history events and school visits, to huge battles with cannon and horse. My favourite event from 2017 was a tiny little regimental in Chadderton, where we did a small skirmish where we fought as different sides defending Foxdenton Hall from attack in this little glade on the grounds. The audience was ten deep and completely delighted to watch the choreographed fight unfold. Having the audience so close and the chance to really get stuck in and do some acting (my past self would be paralysed by anxiety!) and a proper death scene with all my mates on a sunny afternoon was a huge delight.”

“One of the loveliest things about the events is getting to spend time with your regimental family, hanging around at camp, cooking or drinking together – dancing in the beer tent or repairing kit and chatting around a camp fire. At August Bank Holiday in Scarborough this last season we took a trip to the seaside where myself and my husband had a swim, and met the rest for ice cream and chips on the sea front!”

“Being in Manchester’s has given me so much, not least a huge new group of friends from all walks of life and all over the country. I count myself so lucky to have met my regimental family, and treasure the weekends we spend together in the open air, fighting, and playing silly-beggars. Also having so many re-enactor friends allowed us to form a proper sword tunnel to exit through when I married that fella who introduced me to this amazing hobby, way back in 2014. Roll on the rest of our lives, fighting, partying and growing old disgracefully as part of this excellent gang.”

That’s all from Katherine’s #mancsmugs – thanks so much to her for taking part and we hope you’ve got a glimpse of just some of the things we get up to at events! If it’s whetted your appetite, make sure you join up now! You can give reenactment a go for just a tenner – and all your kit is provided!

Make sure you follow the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote account on Instagram for daily updates of our adventures on and off the battlefield!

Meet a face of Manchester’s Regiment with #mancsmugs – Elder Sergeant Ian

We recently introduced new feature on our Instagram account – Manchesters’ Mugs! It’s our way of introducing you to a face of our regiment.

We featured favourite photos from a member of The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote along with their reasons why each image is special and some of the stories about why they love reenacting with us.

This time it’s the turn of Elder Sergeant Ian from our pike division, who’s chosen some of his favourite images:

Photo 1: Here is Ian looking very fresh-faced at his first event, which was a major muster at Wetherby in 2006: “This was my first ever muster. The kit I’m wearing has all been borrowed from members of the regiment who were eager to help out”

Photo 2: Ian chose this photo to show how easy it is to get involved in our regiment: “This one is from our event in Chester where I got my girlfriend involved. She brought a couple of mates along to what was a cracking weekend!” 

Photo 3: Ian chose this picture of himself with fellow pikemen David and Mike at our banquet in Oxford’s Trinity College: “we all are quite happy in this because we realised we’d joined up for the same event ten years ago and all of us look better with age”

Photo 4: one of the great things about reenactment is the friends you make – and the adventures you have both at and away from events: “This is a pic from a great 30th birthday weekend in Dublin. It’s crazy to think that if I wasn’t in Manchester’s I wouldn’t know these people and this weekend wouldn’t have taken place.”

Photo 5: Ian’s final photo shows him at the Battle of Nantwich in January: “this is me leading the pike block through the streets of Nantwich. It’s the first time I got to properly lead the block and a proud moment for me”.

That’s all from Ian’s #mancsmugs – thanks so much to him for taking part and we hope you’ve got a glimpse of just some of the things we get up to at events. If it’s whetted your appetite, make sure you join up now! You can give reenactment a go for just a tenner – and all your kit is provided!

Make sure you follow the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote account on Instagram for daily updates of our adventures on and off the battlefield!

Meet a face of Manchester’s regiment with #mancsmugs – Drummer Amber

Photo by Jonathan White

Photo by Rusty Aldwinckle

Last week we ran a new feature on our regiment’s Instagram account – Manchesters’ Mugs! It’s our way of introducing you to a face of our regiment.

We featured favourite photos from a member of ‘Manchester’s foote’ along with their reasons why each image is special and some of the stories about why they love reenacting with us.

First up was one of our drummers Amber!

Photo 2: A member of the regiment when she was a child, drummer Amber returned a few years ago. She says: “Here, I was 10 years old. The regiment has always felt like a family to me and I’ve always felt a great sense of belonging.”

Photo 2: “This was taken at my first event back after seven years away. I had such a great time and was welcomed back with open arms!”

Photo 3: Reenactment isn’t all about battling – Amber says: “Nothing can be compared to Manchesters’ regimental parties. Always fun, always crazy, always hilarious.”

Photo 4: On the field, Amber keeps the regiment in order and motivated – she says “Being part of something so big is exhilarating. Sometimes you stop and just take it all in. Its incredible.”

Photo 5: After battle, it’s time let your hair down – including fun in the beer tent! Amber says: “Fancy dress in the beer tent is always a great laugh, seeing all the mad and inventive outfits people come up with!”

That’s all from Amber’s #mancsmugs – thanks so much to her for taking part and we hope you’ve got a glimpse of just some of the things we get up to at events. If it’s whetted your appetite, make sure you join up now! You can give reenactment a go for just a tenner – and all your kit is provided!

Make sure you follow the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote account on Instagram for daily updates of our adventures on and off the battlefield!

Join the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote today!

Just think – YOU could join us as we bring history to life across the country, camping in spectacular locations, having great fun afterwards by socialising around the campfire or in the beer tent, and making great new friends – whether you’re on your own or part of a family!

2018 promises to be a fantastic year of events for us so if you’ve ever thought about having a go at historical re-enactment it really couldn’t be easier to join the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote – you can try it for just a tenner!

Visit our website for more information and then go to the contacts page to find a member that’s close to you, or contact our recruitment team leader Ian directly by emailing theearlofmanchesters@gmail.com

You don’t need to jump in with both feet – for a mere £10 for an individual and £15 for a family, you can have a taster weekend! That’s free camping, all your kit supplied, and a brand new experience to enjoy!

You’ll no doubt have questions, so you should definitely check out our Frequently Asked Questions page – being in the Sealed Knot is the easiest and most family-friendly way to get into re-enactment!

But don’t take our word for it – just listen to what our members have to say about why you should join up now…

And don’t forget that Manchester’s is great for kids too – we talked to some of the youngsters who form the future of our regiment:

Convinced? We’re always on the look out for new recruits – you don’t need to be an ‘expert’ on history or know lots about the English Civil War, just think of its as a cross between a music festival, a rugby match, and a party afterwards! Just imagine taking on one of these roles on the battlefield:

Become a Musketeer

Become a Pikeman

Become a Drummer

Become a part of the Baggage Train

Whatever you choose to do, we’d LOVE for you to become a part of our regiment. Everyone was new once, so we’re committed to making you feel welcomed and part of the regiment from day one – just give it a go, we promise you a weekend you’ll never forget!

Contact our recruitment team leader Ian by emailing theearlofmanchesters@gmail.com

Making things go with a bang – the matchlock musket!

This is a matchlock musket.

Doesn’t look like much? Well, technically it’s not – it’s essentially a tube with a small hole at one end and a big hole at the other. But this simple piece of steel and wood changed the face of warfare forever.

The musket is quite a basic weapon, but the process of loading and firing it was slow and dangerous. At the bottom of the barrel, a small hole lead to a ‘pan’, into which a small amount of gunpowder is poured. More gunpowder is then poured down the barrel, followed by paper wadding and a round lead musketball. These are compacted together using a long stick called a scouring stick, compressing the gunpowder so that it explodes with more force when ignited. Thin rope called match cord, impregnated with saltpetre (potassium nitrate) so that it burnt very slowly, is attached to the ‘serpent’ on the side of the barrel; this is connected to the trigger. When the trigger is pulled, it dips the burning match cord into the gunpowder in the pan, which in turns burns through the small hole and ignites the gunpowder in the barrel.

Musketballs were irregular in shape but packed a massive punch if fired close enough to a target. Unlike modern bullets which cut, musketballs punch their way through and splintered bone, leading to horrific injuries and often fragmenting and leaving scraps of lead in the wound. Most casualties from English Civil War battles died not on the battlefield but afterwards from infection and musket wounds played a major part in that.

The problem with the musket was that it was highly unreliable and inaccurate – the gun might fail to fire, or even blow up, and even if it did fire the lack of rifling and the  irregular shape of the musketball would mean hitting a specific target at a long range was very difficult, so the only effective way to use them was to have rows of them shooting at the same time, creating a massed volley that would cut enemy soliders down. They were also slow to load – even skilled musketeers might only manage two shots a minute, and some training manuals of the time had up to 43 separate commands and moves for loading, presenting and firing! And they were vulnerable – when unloaded, musketeers had no means of defending themselves from cavalry attacks, so large blocks of pikemen had to be employed to protect them. They also had a tendency for blowing themselves up – with all those explosives and lit matchcords around there were innumerable incidents of people being blown skyhigh by their own side.

The main advantage of the musket, however, was its versatility. Whereas cavalrymen needed to know how to ride and pikemen needed to have strength and discipline, you could take an untrained man from a field or a town and have him firing on a battlefield in a matter of days.

The musket was the great leveller. Nobleman and commoner alike could fall to its fire. It was easy to produce and musketeers were relatively easy to replace. Warfare suddenly became a matter of firepower.

At the beginning of the first English Civil War in 1642, there were two musketeers for every pikeman. By the end of the third war, the ratio of musketeers was four or five. But it is not until the invention of the bayonet later in the 17th Century, enabling musketeers to defend themselves, that pikemen disappeared from European battlefields and the musket reigned supreme.

Here, our musket officer Dave Frederick and musketeer Martin Franks show the process of loading and firing a musket:

So, what’s like being a musketeer in the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote? Well, we’ll hear from one of our musketeers, Denise, tomorrow but in the meantime, here’s a video showing our musketeers in action!

Flashback: that time when Paddy McGuiness joined our pike block!

Back in 2010, The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote took part in filming for Rory and Paddy’s Even Greater British Adventure, a series which saw Paddy McGuiness and Rory McGrath journey around the country taking part in some of the weird and wonderful pastimes that people in the UK spend their free time indulging in. Series one saw them bog snorkelling and cheese chasing, and the second series included competitive dry stone walling and … us!

The filming took place at the August Bank Holiday muster in York, with Rory and Paddy joining us for some instruction in the subtle art of pike pushing, pitting our Parliamentarian redcoats against the Royalist whitecoats of the Earl of Newcastle’s Regiment of Foote.

Paddy certainly didn’t shirk his duty to Parliament – going straight onto the front row of our pike block and taking place in all five rounds of the contest. Rory, however, didn’t take to pike fighting as well and had to sit out most of the pushes – especially when his shoes disintegrated! Suffice to say the Earl of Manchester’s pikemen won the day!

Rory and Paddy with our late regimental tank/mascot Monty the Dog!

 

If you’d like to follow in Paddy and Rory’s footsteps then you should get in touch right now – we’ve got some amazing events coming up this summer, it’ll cost you just £15, and you’ll have an amazing time – visit our website now for more information or check out our video below.

Want to join up but not sure? One of our newest recruits describe her first event…

If you’re ever watched one of our battles and thought “that looks fun” then read on…

It may seem intimidating to just join a new group and turn up to an event without knowing anyone – but everyone has their first ‘muster’ and The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote takes pride in making everyone feel welcome, regardless of their background and role.

It means that whether you take to the field or just want to sample life on the campsite first, you can be assured of a warm welcome and a helping hand.

One of our newest members, Amber, has written a great pirce about her first muster and introducing her friend, Luke, to the world of re-enactment. Luke also recorded an amazing video of their weekend! So take it away, Amber…

During the summer, once I had finished university, I looked up The Sealed Knot and The Earl of Manchester’s in particular. I decided that I would love to go and see one of the battles and so asked on their Facebook page if there were any events coming up that were easy to get to from Manchester. Luckily, there was one coming up at the beginning of August in Chester.

When the time came around, I went to watch the battle. It was a lovely hot day and the battle was great. I had a look around living history and saw some old faces from when I was a member as a child. I was so excited that I had a chat to a few people about the possibility of joining up. I didn’t have to commit to anything there and then, I simply gave some details and was sent an email with some information about ‘The Knot’ which was really useful.

After that I decided that I wanted to get a temporary membership for one of the last musters of the year, Cleethorpes, along with my friend Luke. It was no trouble at all to sign up for a temporary membership for one event and was really easy borrowing kit as most people have spares. Even though I had been in the Sealed Knot before, it had been 7-8 years since my last muster and I was only around the age of 11. Therefore this would be a whole new experience, especially for Luke as he had never been to or seen any of the events before.

We found a few people from our regiment and set up camp. The next day we got together and had a big group breakfast. Again, even though there wasn’t a large amount of us, there was still a huge sense of community which made both me and Luke feel really welcome. Everyone was really friendly, we got speaking to many people, not necessarily just in Manchesters but everyone around us, people we camped by, people that ran the food vans, the bands that played in the beer tent and night.

Around midday It was time for the battle. I was drumming and Luke joined the pike block. It seemed crazy to be on the battlefield in the thick of it, rather than standing on the side lines to watch. It was really exciting to have the musket block firing next to me, the pike blocks in competition with each other and cannons going off either side of the field. There was so much to take in. The smell of gun powder took me right back to my childhood in the sealed knot and I was surprised how easy it was to get right back into it. Everyone looked out for each other, ensuring we were all safe and hydrated in the heat.

Once the battle was over, we marched around the battlefield and back to the living history camp. There was quite a sense of pride to be marching along with an army in front of the public. I remember Luke telling me the battle on the second day was even better than the first and he had really enjoyed it, as did I. The whole weekend went far too quickly and I wanted to stay for longer.

Throughout the weekend, Luke had also been recording small clips on his camera from leaving the train station in Manchester, all the way through to arriving home again on the Sunday evening. I felt that this was such a great way to remember our weekend.

My first muster with the Sealed Knot was absolutely amazing and would 100% recommend to anyone. Since then I have applied for my annual membership and can’t wait for my first muster of the year!

We’d love for you to follow Amber and Luke’s footsteps and be a part of our regiment. For more information about joining, please visit our website or get in touch with our team direct. And if you’re got further questions, check out our website’s handy FAQ.

17th Century mummies?! Larking about off the battlefield at our training weekend!

While we love getting stuck in on the battlefield, don’t think for a moment that as soon as we’re not battling we’re hunkering down in canvas tents and saying our prayers (though you can do that if you like!). Our training weekend just outside of Bradford last week was as much about catching up with old friends as it was dusting off our kit and seeing if we remembered our drill. The highlight was Saturday evening when – after a great meal and awards presentations for best pikeman, musketeer, and member – we engaged in a few parlour games, some of which are best left unrecorded!

However it did include one where three people had to stand together and be mummified with toilet tissue against the clock! As you can see from the worried expressions of Lee and Brian as they disappear, much hilarity ensued – though not as much as during the game of ‘head football’ which saw some of the younger members of the regiment trying their best not to headbutt the floor (thank you for the side-splitting laughs, Carl!). Check out the video below the photos – it really was a fantastic weekend and shows just how much fun we have away from battle!

 

 

The Earl of Manchester’s is a regiment that plays hard on and off the battlefield – we’ve all made lifelong friends by being a part of the regiment, as well as getting to battle, learn, and socialise in some of the most spectacular locations in the country. This is a totally unique hobby that’s ideal for families, friends, or just people on their own – and you won’t have to buy loads of expensive kit to take part in your first events! Let our members themselves tell you why being a member of Manchester’s is so much fun…

 

If you’d like to join up or want more details about becoming a member of the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote then we’d love to hear from you!

Contact our recruitment team leader Ian by calling 07932 706896 or emailing theearlofmanchesters@gmail.com

Or you can contact the team member for your area by clicking on their profile on our recruitment page.

Watch a musket fire in slow motion and learn all about becoming a 17th Century musketeer!

The regiment started 2015 with a bang as members spent the weekend training at a secret location just outside of Bradford in West Yorkshire – though the worst enemy they had to face was the gale force winds!

It gave us the opportunity to blow away the cobwebs after a long off-season and for some of the junior members of our musket block, who aren’t currently able to fire on the battlefield, to take the official Sealed Knot musket test. Once they’ve proven they can safely handle gunpowder, and load and fire a musket under pressure, then they pass and can use their matchlock musket in battle – so congratulations to Adam and David, who both passed their tests at the weekend and will be firing ‘in anger’ at their next event.

The musket is one of the most impressive parts of our displays and re-enactments; creating lots of crowd-pleasing noise and gunpowder smoke, you can imagine for yourself what it must have been like in the 1640s with massed volleys of musketeers all firing together in battle.

For more than 100 years, the matchlock musket was the universal firearm on European battlefields. Becoming widespread by the mid-16th Century, despite the invention of more advanced ignition systems such as that of the wheellock and the snaphance, the low cost of production, simplicity, and ready availability of the matchlock kept it in use in European armies until about 1720. It was eventually completely replaced by the flintlock as the foot soldier’s main armament.

On the face if it, the matchlock is a fairly basic weapon, but the process of loading and firing it was slow and dangerous. At the bottom of the barrel, a small hole lead to a ‘pan’, into which a small amount of gunpowder is poured. More gunpowder is then poured down the barrel, followed by paper wadding and a round lead musketball. These are compacted together using a long stick called a scouring stick, compressing the gunpowder so that it explodes with more force when ignited.

Thin rope called match cord, impregnated with saltpetre (potassium nitrate) so that it burnt very slowly, is attached to the S-shaped ‘serpent’ on the side of the barrel; the serpent is connected to the trigger and when the trigger is pulled, it dips the burning match cord into the gunpowder in the pan, which in turns burns through the small hole and ignites the gunpowder in the barrel.

Our training weekend was also an opportunity to do some quick filming of a musket shot in slow-motion, which we’ve then slowed down even further to show you the process we’ve described above. There are two shots from different angles, with newly-qualified musketeer David and our musket officer Dave, slowed down to 80%, 10% and 2% their normal speed.

To give you a better idea how to load and fire a musket, Dave and musketeer Martin show you the process:

Musketballs were irregular in shape but packed a massive punch if fired close enough to a target. Unlike modern bullets which cut through their target, musketballs punch their way through and would eviscerate organs and shatter bone, leading to horrific injuries, and would also often fragment on impact, leaving scraps of lead in the wound. Most casualties from English Civil War battles died not on the battlefield but afterwards from infection and musket wounds were a major cause of death.

The problem with the musket was that it was highly unreliable and inaccurate – the gun might fail to fire, or even blow up, and even if it did fire the lack of barrel rifling and the irregular shape of the musketball would mean hitting a specific target at a long range was very difficult, so the only effective way to use them was to have rows of them shooting at the same time, creating a massed volley that would cut enemy soldiers down. They were also slow to load – even skilled musketeers might manage, at best, two or three shots a minute, and some training manuals of the time had up to 43 separate commands and moves for loading, presenting and firing! They were also vulnerable – when unloaded, musketeers had no means of defending themselves from cavalry attacks, so infantry regiments would also include pikemen who would use their long spear-like weapons to ward off enemy horse. Musketeers also had a tendency for blowing themselves up – with all those explosives and lit matchcords around there were many incidents of people being blown skyhigh by their own side.

The main advantage of the musket, however, was its versatility. Whereas cavalrymen needed to have and know how to ride a horse, and pikemen needed to have strength, discipline and training, you could take an untrained man from a field or a town and have him firing on a battlefield in a matter of days.

The musket was the great leveller. Nobleman and commoner alike could fall to its fire. It was easy to produce and musketeers were relatively easy to replace. Warfare suddenly became a matter of firepower.

At the beginning of the first English Civil War in 1642, there were two musketeers for every pikeman. By the end of the third war, the ratio of musketeers was four or five. But it is not until the invention of the bayonet later in the 17th Century, enabling musketeers to defend themselves against cavalry, that the pike disappeared from the battlefield and the gun reigned supreme.

So, you’ve seen the science – but what’s it like being a musketeer in the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote? Well, here’s a video showing our musketeers in action!

Remember, YOU could be taking to the field as a musketeer! Visit our contacts page or contact our recruitment team leader Ian direct by calling 07932 706896 or emailing theearlofmanchesters@gmail.com

Infantry with a point to prove – what’s it like being a 17th Century pikeman?

Just like in the English Civil War, there are two main types of infantry soldier in the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote: pikemen and musketeers.

 

Being a pikeman is one of the more strenuous roles you can do in the Sealed Knot, combining structured drill movements and coordination with the qualities of a competitive sport. Whether we’re fighting traditionally ‘at point’ or in the scrum-like ‘pike push’, it’s a physical contact sport and a great way to relieve stress!

The pike itself was an old weapon – made from a single 18 feet-long piece of English ash and tipped with a steel spike. It was a weapon that required good upper body strength and balance, as well as nerves of steel.

Pikes were mainly useful as a defence against enemy cavalry, presenting a wall of sharp points to ward them off and protect vulnerable musketeers while they reloaded. Unlike the musket, it was considered a weapon for gentlemen because you fought your enemy up close but the tide of war was changing and the ratio of musketeers to pikemen changed drastically between 1642 and 1660 from 2:1 to up to 4:1.

If you’d like to find out more about being a pikeman in the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote, visit our pike webpage.

In the Sealed Knot, pikemen fight in one of two ways: ‘point’ and ‘push’.

At ‘point’ is traditionally how pikemen fought each other. Big blocks of pikeman would level their pikes (see right) and advance towards each other into a crush called ‘push of pike’, when the front ranks would draw swords and engage in deadly hand-to-hand fighting.

This was hard work and often left them vulnerable to attack by cavalry at their sides. Pikemen had to stick together, as to break apart meant disaster.

The other way we fight is called ‘pike pushing’. This is a modern invention, but gives the hobby an exciting competitive edge. Pike blocks of up to 20 men lock together in a rugby scrum-like formation with their pikes held aloft, they then walk or run into an opposing block to try and push them over or force them back. This can be very hard work, but very rewarding if you win!

Photo: NGTpictures

Although it’s not how pikemen really fought, it does re-create the atmosphere of a battlefield – people shouting, physical exertion, and aggression – for the public, while giving members of competitive sport to engage in.

Manchester’s pike block is well respected on the battlefield and we have previously won the Armie of Parliament’s pike push competition several times. There are no boundaries of sex or build to take part, anyone willing to give it a go is welcome.

To give you an idea of what it’s like in a push, here is some footage from the recent pike push competition at the Army’s Easter training event at Naseby in Northamptonshire. Although it is staged, it should give you a feel of how pike pushing takes place:

Fancy giving it a go? Experience amazing weekends of battle and making new friends by joining today. You can have a taster weekend for as little as £14 – and we’ll even lend you your kit! Visit the joining page on our website or e-mail theearlofmanchesters@gmail.com for more information