Welcome to the Taunton Garrison website
The Taunton Garrison brings history to life with some of the most passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable reenactors you could ever meet!
Our events cover so many periods including: Roman, Viking, Medieval, Elizabethan, English Civil War, the Monmouth Rebellion, the 95th Rifles and the First World War.
Our historical re-enactments are full of authentic clothing, uniforms, weapon displays, living history and so much more. We can usually be seen at historical venues in Somerset and Devon.
The Taunton Garrison can provide a wide range of entertainment both military and civilian. We perform various living history skills, also small skirmishes and weapons demonstrations.
Alongside our popular MULTI-PERIOD events, we cover three main historical periods - The Spanish Armada of 1588, the English Civil War of the 1640's and the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685.
Our Displays usually begin at 10am, but this may vary. We have a rolling programme of displays. Please check with the venue to be sure of times.
If you have not heard of us before let me tell you a bit about the group and our role around the historic West Country. The group was originally formed around 1996 with small scale events in the Taunton area. In 1999 the group had its big break when we were offered the chance to hold a weekend event at Barrington Court, a spectacular National Trust venue near Ilminster in Somerset. This was a great success; the first of many.
In 2000 we decided to expand our historical range to include another period of great interest in West Country, the Monmouth Rebellion. Therefore, taking on the identity of the Somerset Militia of 1685 together with the inclusion of various rebel identities such as Col. Bovet's Blue Regiment from Taunton. We have since performed at some great venues, such as Taunton Castle, The Bishop's Palace, Wells, Dunster Castle, Dillington House, Lyme Regis and Hestercombe House and many more. In 2006, to crown everything we appeared on Channel 4's Time Team - Big Royal Dig at Buckingham Palace!
We have also been on Tony Robinson's Walks Through History discussing the Monmouth Rebellion and more recently on Michael Portillo's Railway Journeys. Where we tried Mr Portillo as a Monmouth rebel!
Since then, which seems a lifetime ago, we have grown and grown. We have added an Elizabethan period into our repertoire portraying a Trained Band during the Spanish Armada panic of 1588.
We have performed plays, comical sketches and even a weekend portraying scenes from the famous novel, Lorna Doone.
And finally, in 2025 we took the plunge and began doing our own in-house MULTI-PERIOD events. We have now done two and have covered periods such as: Roman, Vikings, Medieval, 95th Rifles and the First World War.
We can offer a wide range of entertainment to the public and each event can be tailor-made.
