THE traditional celebration of Holly Holy Day will take place in Nantwich on Saturday.

The annual event commemorates the Battle of Nantwich in January 1644 and the lifting of the six-week siege of the town during the Civil War.

Soldiers from the Sealed Knot dressed and equipped in authentic civil war style will parade down Welsh Row and into town, where they will parade outside the church in the main square.

Then wreaths will be laid in honour of those who fell in the battle.

The town centre will then stage an historical tableau performed by the Nantwich Players and the re-use of the town pillory.

There is also an exhibition on the subject at Nantwich Museum.

There will be a lively re-enactment of the battle by Sealed Knot members on Mill Island, a popular spectacle lasting about an hour, with cannon fire as well as hand to hand combat This year there will also be a celebratory bonfire on Mill Island after the battle, with a stunning firework display.

Hot food and drinks will be available for spectators.

Tickets are £4 adults, £1 children, and are available from Nantwich Museum and Nantwich Tourist Office at the Civic Hall, from a booth on the square, or on the afternoon at the entrance to Mill Island.

The bonfire and firework display is an innovation introduced by the Rotary Club of Crewe and Nantwich Weaver, which has been working with the Holly Holy Day Society (HHDS) to make the re-enactment even more colourful.

Weaver club president Peter Latronico said: “In a way, it is a celebration of the lifting of the siege which gripped the town during the English civil war in January 1644.

"But it is also a celebration of the survival of the modern Holly Holy Day itself.

"Twelve months ago, the continuation of the event was in doubt.

"Against all the odds, the HHDS had kept faith with the town by putting on the show in January 2008 after a year in which several major Nantwich events had been cancelled because of weather.

"But circumstances prevented the Society from charging spectators and it ended up with almost nothing in the bank.

"Believing the event to be a very important one for Nantwich, not least in attracting visitors at what would otherwise be a very quiet time of the year, the Weaver Rotary club got involved and has since worked closely with the HHDS to make sure a great tradition is maintained.”