CIVIL war battles were recreated at Lulworth Castle over the bank holiday weekend.

Hundreds of members of the English Civil War Society donned costumes and period props to recreate life in the 17th century.

Visitors gained an insight into how soldiers and their families lived while on the campaign.

There were demonstrations of cooking, mending armour and other crafts.

Inside the castle, the gentry were busy with painting, embroidery and singing while the officers were engaged in military planning and sword practice. Visitors were also treated to some period music and a wedding of the gentry was re-enacted in the castle.

A full scale battle involving musketeers and pikemen took place on Sunday (MAY 4) and Monday at 4pm enacted by Civil War enthusiasts from Sir Thomas Tyldesley's Regiment of Foote.

There were also big gun firing displays.

Lulworth Castle was owned by Humphrey Weld when civil war broke out. He was a Royalist and went to support King Charles in Oxford. However, during his absence the castle and Bindon House were occupied by parliamentarians, controlled by Captain Thomas Hughes.

He stripped the lead from the castle roof, sold it to his own side for £5, and it was made into musket balls for use in the siege of Corfe Castle.