THE 350th Anniversary of Oliver Cromwell s death took Ely by storm last weekend. Attended by hundreds, the event proved more than entertaining with the arrival of the Lord Protector himself on horseback. Tracey Harding, Tourism Team

By Georgina Campbell

THE 350th Anniversary of Oliver Cromwell's death took Ely by storm last weekend.

Attended by hundreds, the event proved more than entertaining with the arrival of the Lord Protector himself on horseback.

Tracey Harding, Tourism Team Leader at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "It was absolutely excellent; we were very pleased with the event.

"The arrival of Cromwell went down particularly well. It was a nice touch to have the Lord mix in with the crowds."

Re-enactments in full seventeenth battledress, by Sir Gilbert Hoghton's Companie of Foote, educated visitors throughout the day and demonstrations from candlemakers, seventeenth century cooks, gunsmiths and dancers entertained throughout the day.

Mrs Harding said: "The actors said the people of Ely were really interested in what they had to say.

"It's easy to get the volume of people, but the amount of interest was encouraging.

"People were really enjoying finding out things".

With the weather holding up for most of the day, the event went forward as planned despite White Witch Kevin Carlyon's "bad weather spell."

Mrs Harding said: "It looks like the witches got it wrong.