Refuge: The English Civil War on Dartmoor

It doesn’t take an expert historian to know that the English Civil War was a conflict that divided communities nationwide, and life on 17th Century Dartmoor was no exception. Village was set against village, family against family in one of the most bloodthirsty periods in English history. However Dartmoor’s unique landscape, with all of its secret haunts, did prove to be an excellent hiding place…

‘Refuge’ by MED Theatre tells the story of John Elford, a renegade parliamentarian who spoke out against Cromwell’s dictatorship. Forced into hiding, he is believed to have concealed himself in a cave on Sheepstor, now better known as the ‘Piskie’s Cave’. Faced with hours of solitude, Elford took to painting on the walls of his hideout to pass the time. He has since been recorded in history as Dartmoor’s first identifiable visual artist.

However, it is possible that Elford was not the only runaway from the Civil War to be found on Dartmoor. According to legend, a Royalist soldier once set up camp at Blackadon Tor, near Lizwell Meet. In a popular version of the tale, the nameless cavalier wins the love of notone but two young women from the surrounding villages. ‘Refuge’ will be examining the tensions between history and hearsay during this vivid time.

MED Theatre has been touring community plays for over thirty years. Dartmoor, with its rich heritage, has been a constant source of inspiration to playwright Mark Beeson: ‘‘It’s an interesting mix of contemporary controversy, ecological conundrums, a rich history and an even richer mythology’.

‘Refuge: The English Civil War on Dartmoor’ will be touring to Manaton, Belstone, Meavy and Moretonhampstead from the 11th to the 19th March.

For more information about tour dates and tickets, contact MED Theatre on 01647 441356 or visit www.medtheatre.co.uk.

Tickets are booking fast so contact us to reserve yours soon!

For more information visit http://www.medtheatre.co.uk/refuge/