Although civil war raged throughout the British Isles in the mid seventeenth century, a significant majority of the population would have remained civilian, trying as best they could as to carry on their daily lives. For many this would have been difficult, both sides throughout the war tried to recruit from the local civilian populations, initially via the trained bands or militias, and later to replace loses caused by casualties.

If civilians avoided recruitment, they would have still been expected to support the war effort. Either by taxation to pay the armies and equipment or by supplying goods to the armies or by billeting troops.

For the average soldier, day-to-day life would have been mundane, with large pitched battles and skirmishes, thankfully, being few and far between. For most in within garrisons life would have tried to continue as normal. Many would have continued to ply their civilian trades, in order to boost their soldiers pay, which would have likely to have been infrequent. Where possible people would try to profit from the wars.

The Wardour Garrison’s members have the skills to demonstrate a number of skills and crafts that may represent the types of activity that would have been carried out by a seventeenth century garrison.