Post by Frere Reynald de Pensax on Apr 22, 2012 4:22:05 GMT -5
Although St. George's Day isn't until tomorrow, for convenience the celebrations throughout the country were timed to coincide with the weekend. Last year Tamworth's festival was voted the best in England, so I was really looking forward to returning for this year's, especially as we received a lot of positive feedback from the public and other re-enactors.
Tamorth was once the capital of the Saxon Kingdom of Mercia, and it is located in the modern county of Staffordshire. The site was first fortified by Ethelfleda, Lady of the Mercians in the tenth century. However, the sandstone castle that crowns her motte dates from the time of the Marmion family's tenure in the twelfth and thirteenth. And, though much altered over the centuries, the wall that crosses the moat is thought to date back to the reign of King Henry I.
Extensive pleasure grounds are located in the shadow of the fortress, and it was here that the St. George's Day festival was held. These included jousts, foot combat, living history encampments, archery, falconry, live music and any number of medieval themed family entertainments. The weather last year was absolutely glorious, but although there were a few showers throughout the day this time around, the sun did make an appearance, and the rain didn't mar anyone's enjoyment.
I was there with the Knights Hospitaller of Warwickshire, and our dateline was 1170. We had an encampment just in front of the castle, while we took it in turns to mount a guard in its courtyard. The public's turnout was very impressive, and there was a lot of interest in our display, which included a very popular spear drill for children. I was also encouraged by the amount of interst shown in the event by my work colleagues, and they and their families turned out to give their support. Of course, wearing full maille for the biggest part of ten hours can take its toll, and by the end of the day, we were the ones who literally needed support; but everyone in the group enjoyed themselves as much as the visitors.
Tamorth was once the capital of the Saxon Kingdom of Mercia, and it is located in the modern county of Staffordshire. The site was first fortified by Ethelfleda, Lady of the Mercians in the tenth century. However, the sandstone castle that crowns her motte dates from the time of the Marmion family's tenure in the twelfth and thirteenth. And, though much altered over the centuries, the wall that crosses the moat is thought to date back to the reign of King Henry I.
Extensive pleasure grounds are located in the shadow of the fortress, and it was here that the St. George's Day festival was held. These included jousts, foot combat, living history encampments, archery, falconry, live music and any number of medieval themed family entertainments. The weather last year was absolutely glorious, but although there were a few showers throughout the day this time around, the sun did make an appearance, and the rain didn't mar anyone's enjoyment.
I was there with the Knights Hospitaller of Warwickshire, and our dateline was 1170. We had an encampment just in front of the castle, while we took it in turns to mount a guard in its courtyard. The public's turnout was very impressive, and there was a lot of interest in our display, which included a very popular spear drill for children. I was also encouraged by the amount of interst shown in the event by my work colleagues, and they and their families turned out to give their support. Of course, wearing full maille for the biggest part of ten hours can take its toll, and by the end of the day, we were the ones who literally needed support; but everyone in the group enjoyed themselves as much as the visitors.