Glemham's Pike Block

Pike is best!!

My name is John and I am a pikeman in Sir Thomas Glemham's regiment of The Sealed Knot Society, and I am going to tell you why I enjoy being a pikeman.

With back and breast armour and my trusty sword, my main weapon a seventeen foot pike (a long shaft of wood which would have had a metal spike on the end) and my head protector - a morion or pot as we call them - I am ready to take part in the battle. This is how soldiers would have dressed and fought during the civil war.

I and many other's are ready to fight for the King: we form up and get ready for the push of pike, the order goes out for close order and we all close up together, usually about sixteen to twenty of us together in one regiment, up against the same strength Parliamentarians. We move forward to engage, then we move forward and backwards before we break, form up and do it all again, about three or four times until we move the enemy. By this time the sweat is running down your back: we continue for about twenty minutes, meanwhile musket and cannon are going off all around and horsemen galloping towards you - it sets the adrenalin running!

When the battle is over, we form up and make our way back to campsite, you take off your armour, morion and put down your pike; peel off your shirt which is usually sticking to your back, and retire for a few well earned beers, ready to do it all again tomorrow.

I feel during the battle and afterwards that I have been transported back in time and that I am actually fighting a real battle for the King along with real men and women from that time and how exciting and exhilerating it is. If you want to feel the same come along and join in.

John Todd