On this night 370 years ago, the Parliamentarian garrison within the twin towns of Weymouth & Melcombe, was in a state of relative ease.

There had been no incursion from their Royalist enemy for months and only one of the enemy’s garrisons lay nearby, at Portland and that being only 3-400 men. The garrison inside the twin towns, commanded by the relatively unknown Colonel William Sydenham, ably assisted by his two brothers, Francis, a Major of Horse and Thomas, a Cornet in Francis’ troop, had no reason to suspect any trouble.

But the night of 8th February 1645 was to be their last night of peace for many a long night to come. Less than 36 hours later, one of them would have died bravely in battle, another wounded and the two survivors besieged and in danger of annihilation at any time. Victims of a Royalist plot to take the twin towns for the King, Charles 1.

Tonight ………………….. is the Eve of the Crabchurch Conspiracy.