Will I be expected to go to every event?

How will I know when events are taking place?

How old do I have to be to join?

Are families encouraged to join?

What Are Musters?

Do I need to Buy Anything?

How do Musters Work?

What About The Fighting?

Who Decides Who Wins?

How Do I Join?

How Much Does It Cost?

Tell me about the Hoghton Family

Q: Will I be expected to go to every event?

No. Of course we hope new members will become regular attendees, but many members are only able to come for a day because of work and other commitments. Often members can only attend a certain number of weekends a year. Do not worry if this is the situation in your case.

Q: How will I know when events are taking place?

The society publishes a magazine entitled "Orders of the Daye", which is circulated to its members every two months. This gives full details of how to get to battles, and any other society news and comments. Hoghton's have their own newsletter "The Bull" and an eGroup for giving out information about major events, and the many other smaller local events that regiments organise. The Members Only Area of the Sealed Knot Website also contains an up-to-date list of musters with more information.

Q: How old do I have to be to join?

To join as an Individual Member in your own right, you have to be 18 years old. However, 16-18 year olds can join with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. Below 16 years you have to join as family members with the parent or legal guardian. No one under the age of 16 years is allowed onto the actual battlefield.

Q: Are families encouraged to join?

Yes, there are many families in the Sealed Knot. Twenty years ago the membership tended to be young single people, but of course now they have families of their own, which they bring to meetings, making the Sealed knot a very family orientated society.

Q: What Are Musters?

The most important method by which the Society achieves its aims is through the performance of Battle re-enactments at different sites throughout the Country. These are called "Musters". They are performed wherever possible on actual Civil War Battle Fields and take place at weekends during the "campaigning season", i.e. between March and October.

Details of the arrangements for the Muster will have been published in the Society Newsletter the "Orders of the Daye" and the organiser will have laid on a camp site, supply of drinking water and toilet facilities. Often there will also be additional facilities such as Beer Tents and Caterers and there may also be camp fires and Ceilidhs arranged for your enjoyment.

Musters are held in big fields all round Great Britain and come in two basic sizes. A 'major' involves most of the Sealed Knot's active membership, around 20 horses, and numerous artillery pieces.

A 'mini' usually has no cavalry and only a few cannons. A booked mini has a limited number of participants.

Q: Do I need to Buy Anything?

Members bear their own personal costs for clothing, equipment, food, accommodation and travel. But don't be to concerned, to start with clothing can be borrowed to alleviate heavy expenditure but you will eventually have to either buy or make your own kit. We'll try and help out with other things such as sharing transport and camping. As with most hobbies, the costs are greatest in the first 2 years as you equip yourself.

Travelling to musters is probably the greatest expense, after the initial outlay on clothing. Note that this is clothing not costume or fancy dress. Our clothes may be seventeenth century in style but they are made for wearing, not for show. With powder burns and pike pushes, they suffer a lot of wear. Shirts and socks may be purchased on the campsite, from merchants stalls on "Traders Row". Footwear is either authentic Latchet shoes, or "startups". The Regiment will advise who to contact about these as we have established contacts with a few selected traders. All clothing as based as closely as possible on authentic patterns, and may be purchased at musters. Whatever you wish to do, advice is always available, and as a new member a more knowledgeable member of the regiment will accompany you when you visit "Traders Row" to help you with your purchases, so don't panic.

Q: How do Musters Work?

There is always a 'plastic campsite' (usually a field with portable toilets and water points) provided, so most people invest in a tent or caravan and camp for the weekend (fri-mon). Some don't bother with the camping and book in at a nearby guest house, but this is not the norm. It is a very friendly environment, with the different regiments camping in their own little section so you are always with the people you know.

A beer tent (alcohol had to come into it somewhere!) is nearly always located on the camp site often with a live band, and this is where most people gather on the evenings (if they don't go to the local pubs). Alternatively we quite often gather around a regimental camp fire.

Traders row is like a little market, again within the campsite, where you can purchase your 17th century costume, tankards, armour, books, musket, hat, bags and much more. Here you also find the food vans inc. fish + chips, jacket potatoes, burgers hotdogs etc.

A 'Living history' campsite is also available; where members who want to camp more authentically go. Every one using this campsite must be authentic at all times, including their dress, eating and general behaviour. It is open for the general public to walk around, so members here will be doing 17th century chores like, using a spinning wheel, cooking on open fires, 17th century carpentry etc.

Q: What About The Fighting?

During a battle Hoghton's fields pike and musket units (blocks). Both are supported by camp followers who supply the troops with water, assist with equipment (especially musketeer's match and rests while they're in melee), and perform cameos to add to the flavour of the spectacle. Both arms have officers in command and the pike block is also supported by drummers and an ensign (who carries Hoghton's colour).

Q: Who Decides Who Wins?

The muster organisers write a script. Sometimes the battle is a re-enactment of a real battle in which case the script may be based on the original. Otherwise it's just up to the organisers. The script is told to the Lord Generals of King and Parliament and the senior staff. This information is passed down to the Regimental Commanding Officers who in turn tell their pike and musket commanders. The average soldier probably knows who's going to win eventually, but not much more than that. Although, the overall winner is in the script, individual regiments can still fight competitively using tactics, skill and numbers to gain ground and win skirmishes within the bigger picture of the battle.