Tower and Town, July 2019 (view the full edition)Editorial: Marlborough And Civil WarJuly is typically a month for recreation and outdoor fun so the topic of civil war might seem perverse. But we are happy to welcome the English Civil War Society back to Marlborough this month for a repeat of the exciting re-enactment of the battle of 1642 on our Common and that will be fun! It also reminds us of the serious side - the damage to the Town of Marlborough following that 17th century attack as well as the sad persistence of civil wars in the world today. There is an informative article about Marlborough's actual Civil War experience, by Nick Baxter, and information about the English Civil War Society and the people who participate as re-enactors. And not forgetting that civil wars still ravage many countries: according to the United Nations there are actually 14 civil wars active today in the world. These are all major conflicts which meet the quite stringent criterion of civil war (as opposed to lesser instances of internal discord) and they include the well publicised wars in Syria, Yemen and Sudan as well as lesser known wars in East Asia, Latin America and one on the fringes of Europe in Turkey. Our article about the work of the charity Actionaid reminds us of the ongoing damage caused by the civil war in Uganda. Getting away from the theme of war there is a reminder of the annual Marlborough Open Studios trail, an uplifting account by a Marlborough student of his voluntary work in Nepal, and a lucky sighting of an otter in the River Kennet. I hope you'll find the combination of the thoughtful and the more light-hearted an enjoyable read. Sara Holden |