What did people eat
for dinner in medieval times?
Are early shoes comfortable?
Why were cattle such a status symbol in ancient Ireland?
How did Vikings brush their teeth?
How do you pull a longbow?
These are just some of
the questions asked at the living history events which we organise all over
the country. Our answer is to bring the past to life with demonstrations of
ancient skills and arts such as blacksmithing, cookery, carpentry, swordplay,
archery, falconry, spinning, weaving, calligraphy and much more.
History wasn't all wars
and plagues (though we can do those too!), so sample some of the everyday
experiences of people in ancient times. Whether it's a talk and demonstration
for school children, or a period of "living-in" on an ancient site
or heritage park, our skilled personnel will create realistic characters,
give accurate historical information and provide fascinating entertainment.
Plan your event using
any combination of the following modules:
1 - 4 man Archery Display: authentic longbows, crossbows,
real arrowheads
incl. armour piercing, fire and smoke arrows, accuracy,
distance and speed
shooting, etc. Archery tournament and feats of
skill. |
Falconry
Display: My
Lord’s falconer has 1- 10 falcons and hawks on display,
including
flying birds.
 |
| Knights on Horseback:Jousting display and riding skills
 |
Early
Music: from
Bronze and Iron Age horns through Medieval pipes to
eighteenth century harp and uilleann
pipes.
 |
Historical characters: from left, Silken Thomas,
1534 AD; Lord Mountjoy, 1601;
Lady Margaret FitzEustace, 1483 AD.
   |
Pavilion Tent: Large Medieval knight's
pavilion available for events. |
|
Woodworking: A Viking carpenter shows how
chests, stools and household items were made 1,200 years ago.
Alternatively, a Medieval polelathe wood turner makes spindles, spoons and
chair legs with the greenbough foot-powered lathe. Or see how Iron Age
carpenters split whole oak trees using wooden wedges and mallets.
 |
Spinning
and Weaving: using an early drop spindle or the Medieval “Grete Wheel” to spin wool or
flax and weaving intricate belts, borders and trims by the tablet weaving
method.
 |
The
Armoury: large
display of weapons and armour from chain mail to plate. Demonstrates how
plate armour was shaped and formed. |
Barber-Surgeon: whether you
need bleeding, physicking or a tooth pulled, this learned gentleman will
mix you a herbal concoction and give advice on love potions and the Gout.
 |
Scriptor
Monk: a learned
Brother who will teach the young to write with a
quill and a wax tablet and show how
vellum (calf skin) and oak gall ink were made.
|
Moneyer: a Viking moneyer strikes coins
with a die and shows how money was minted. |
Peddler
/ Beggar/ Leper: every town should have one!! |
 Assorted Viking / Medieval /
Irish warriors, knights and soldiery: according to time period, fight displays and
battles as required. From swords, spears and axes to black powder weapons.
|
 16th, 17th and 18th century
characters: ruffs and farthingales.
Perriwigs
and tricorn hats, from Queen Elizabeth 1st to mad King George the 3rd.
Beautiful costumes and authentic period displays, including carriage and
horses. |
Fencing
display and Duelling: in either 17th c, or 18th c. style, using rapiers, main gauche,
epee
and foil. |
Domestic
Animals: a
variety of historically appropriate animals, from hens and geese to milking
goats, pigs, Irish wolfhounds and Dexter cattle.
 |
| Medieval Cookery: using authentic 14th and 15th century recipes and utensils, all cooked over the fire.
Have a taste of spit-roast suckling pig or sample delicacies from a full
feast
Menu, with our own mead and hippocras wine.
 |
| |
- CLOTHING
- ARTEFACTS
- WEAPONS & ARMOUR
- ANIMALS
- SKILLS
All of our clothing,
artefacts, weapons, equipment and animals are detailed and appropriate to the
time period, with careful research undertaken for everything we use.
|
