Sun shines for Newtown's history and fun day

Newtown History and Fun Day takes place today and is expected to pull a large crowd into the town's Park as re-enactments, stands and stalls and activities take place throughout the day.

The event will take place at the Park and Bus Station car-park in the town and will include a re-enactment group, as seen on Channel Four's Time Team programme, who will be taking people on a to walk through time, including the Iron Age and Romans, The Bosworth Connection, The Viking Invasion, The Coming of the Normans, The Castle Builders, The Civil War and a royal visit.

Interactive stands on living history will take place throughout the day, along with arena displays which will include Celtic and Roman at 11am; Viking at 12noon; Norman at 12.30pm; Edward 1st at 2pm; War of the Roses at 2.30pm; The Civil War at 3pm; and the 18th Century at 3.30pm.

The event comes following mixed reviews about the town's main Royal wedding party in Broad Street on Friday. Many visitors said the event should have taken place earlier in the day for families to participate. Welshpool's Royal wedding party at Powis Castle attracted more than 3,000 people. Criticism was levelled at the lack of activities for families. "It wasn't great, but then at least something was organised. There are a lot of people being critical about the event but how many people ever come forward to help organise these sort of events?" commented one MyNewtown reader.

With the weather expected to be fine throughout today, organisers are hoping Newtown's History and Fun Day will attract large crowds into the town to enjoy themselves as well as learning a bit about Newtown's rich history which includes the establishment of the world's first mail order company - Pryce Jones - which sent flannel and other goods across the globe, including direct to Queen Victoria. It was also the birthplace of social reformer Robert Owen who pioneered the Co-Operative movement. He returned to Newtown to die.