HISTORIANS in Marlborough are proud of the fact that that town had its own Civil War battle, probably more accurately referred to as a skirmish.

The town was largely Parliamentarian and was regarded as a strategic place because of its position aside the Great West Road that was the main route between London, Bath and Bristol.

One of the causes of the Civil War was the levying of a tax called Ship Money on every town. Marlborough was required to pay £60 and find an unrecorded number of men to serve in the king's navy.

To secure their route of communications between the vital cities, the Royalists had to take the town and, on December 5 1642, they approached the town from the north.

Although there was stout opposition, the king's men stormed the town and history records that they used the alleyways to reach the town centre where there was some stiff fighting.

The local garrison holed up in St Mary's Church and put up some tough opposition before falling to the superior Royalist forces.

It is said that marks from the Royalist cannon and pistol shot can still be seen on the St Mary's tower stonework.

There was no great loss of life but some hundreds of prisoners were marched off to Oxford.

More than 50 houses in the town were burned.