He is reported to have fought for the Royalist cause at the Battle of Cheriton (1644) and afterwards hid in a hollow oak tree behind the church, this tree was still known until recently as 'Sir Benjamin's Oak'.
He is said to have fought on behalf of the Royalist side at the Battle of Cheriton (1644) and afterwards concealed himself in a hollow oak tree behind the church, which was still known as 'Sir Benjamin's Oak'.