AN oak tree has been planted to commemorate a bloody city battle which turned the tide of English history forever and sowed the seeds of democracy.
The leader of Worcester City Council, Lynn Denham, planted the tree in Fort Royal Park today (Tuesday) in memory of those who fought and died in the Battle of Worcester.
Fought on September 3, 1651, the battle was the last of the English Civil War, sealing victory for the Parliamentarian forces over those of Charles Stuart, later King Charles II, who fled the city.
Councillor Lynn Denham and Daniel Daniels, chairman of the Battle of Worcester Society, planted the oak at Fort Royal Park, where the Parliamentarian forces emerged the victors.
Cllr Denham said: “Thousands of people lost their lives as they fought for their beliefs in our city’s streets and fields on September 3, 1651. This was a defining moment, not only for Worcester but for the whole nation, so it is an honour to plant this oak and create a lasting memorial to the Battle of Worcester.”
An oak was chosen because Charles Stuart (the future King Charles II), fleeing Worcester after his forces were defeated, hid in an oak tree at Boscobel House before escaping to France.
Daniel Daniels, chair of the Battle of Worcester Society, said: "The Battle of Worcester, fought 373 years ago today marked one of the most decisive and symbolic moments of the English Civil War.
"This battle was not just the final clash between the forces of King Charles II and those loyal to the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell, but it was also the moment when the fate of the English monarchy was sealed, giving way to ideas that would lay the foundation for modern democracy.
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“Worcester was where the last hopes of Royalist resurgence were dashed. Cromwell’s victory at Worcester effectively ended the English Civil War, leading to a brief period of republican rule and the eventual restoration of the monarchy under conditions that recognised the supremacy of Parliament to this very day.”
Later tonight, the Battle of Worcester Society hold the traditional Drumhead Service at Fort Royal Park, led by re-enactors in Civil War garb and including a minute’s silence beginning and ending with a musket volley.
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