Civil war soldiers will be mustering in the garden of Longbridge House – thought to be the oldest house in Shepton Mallet – on Saturday.

Longbridge House will be welcoming visitors as part of the Dorothy House Hospice Care open gardens season.

As well as the magnificent gardens, visitors will be able to enjoy displays by the Taunton Garrison English Civil War re-enactment group and a talk about the Duke of Monmouth's regiment – as well as refreshments in a 1685 coffee house recreated in the barn.

The Taunton Garrison focus on the English Civil War period, 1642-1651 and the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685.

The group was originally formed by Paul Hockey in 1996 with small scale events in the Taunton area.

In 1999 the group had its big break when it was offered the chance to hold a weekend event at Barrington Court, a National Trust venue near Ilminster.

In 2000 the group decided to expand its 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 Colonel Bovet's Blue Regiment from Taunton.

In 2006 the group appeared on Channel 4's Time Team – Big Royal Dig at Buckingham Palace.

The gardens, along with a ground-floor room of the historic house, will be open from 10am to 4pm, by kind permission of owner Krysia Couldrey and entry is £3.50.

For a full list of gardens open for the hospice this summer, visit www.dorothyhouse.co.uk.