Discovering Medieval

Fetes & Fayres

Discovering Medieval can bring a dash of colour and excitement to your fete or fayre with our hands on, interactive approach to history. It's a fun and educational way to learn about history for young and old alike.

Below are some of the exciting displays we can provide:

Dress medieval
Young budding lords, ladies, and peasants are asked to come and join us in dressing up medieval style! Discovering Medieval have many sets of medieval clothes for them to try. We explain what each item of clothing is and what its function was, comparing it to the kind of clothes we wear now. The medieval clothes can be worn on top of normal clothes.

Medieval feast
We then offer them the chance to take part in a medieval feast. The lord and lady take their place at the high table as their servants bring on dish upon dish of exquisite looking food. All our food is replica to prevent any risk of food poisoning and looks extremely mouthwateringly real. Watch them gasp in awe as a whole cooked goose, trout, a haunch of venison, chewet (a kind of medieval pie), dates, cherries and other fantastic things are laid in front of them whilst they are entertained by their own jester and musician (all volunteers from the audience).

Meanwhile on the table down from the lord and lady, the local peasantry are eating their much more meagre looking meal of bread, cheese and pottage with a mug of ale.

Whilst this is happening we explain the differences between a rich and poor mans diet in the medieval period. Which foods they did and didn't have.

Become a knight
We offer the younger members of our audience the opportunity to dress up as a knight in our child sized armour. We bring forward a (hopefully) willing volunteer(s) from the audience to try on our medieval armour and for another volunteer to be squire to the knight. Whilst simultaneously arming our own knight for battle we explain what each piece of armour is and what it was used for.

Our own (two fully grown knights!) will then demonstrate an array of weapons to the audience from the devastating pole axe to the mighty long bow. We give a blow by blow demonstration of how each was used. Our two knights then battle it out in a medieval tourney. We split the audience in to two and goad them into cheering on their knight (the little guy usually wins!).

Apprentice to the surgeon
We enrol some more of our younger audience members to train to be apprentice to the surgeon. We briefly explain what medieval medicine was like and get our volunteers to mix up a medieval herbal remedy made from kitchen herbs and spices such as rosemary and cinnamon bound together with honey.

Our surgeon will then go into a cut by cut account of how a medieval surgeon would operate. With no knowledge of anaesthetic or antiseptics or even a proper understanding of how the circulatory system works the surgeons would operate and the patient would be in great agony. They did not even know that the heart was a pump until the 17th century!

We can also talk about a range of other subjects and can provide a living history encampment throughout the day talking about cookery, medicine and arms and armour and every day medieval life, offering more children the chance to try on the armour or clothes.

We have also worked with the National Trust and English Heritage and have given displays at the EH Festival of History (Kelmarsh Hall), Bodiam Castle, Wrest Park, Canterbury Tales and Cressing Temple Barns.

Colleen Coles - Events and Exhibitions Officer, Cressing Temple Barns:

'May I, on behalf of Cressing Temple, thank Discovering Medieval for the wonderful day that they gave our visitors at our historical activity day in August. We had nearly 450 children pass through and without exception they all enjoyed the living history experience that Discovering Medieval gave them. Everyone learnt a lot and went home having had a thoroughly enjoyable day. We look forward to meeting your group on future occasions. Many thanks.'

Emily Burns - Event Organiser, English Heritage Festival of History:

'We were delighted to have Discovering Medieval performing at the Festival of History this year. They provided hours of fun for audiences of all ages. They were both educational and entertaining and provided lots of hands-on activities for children to enjoy. We would love to have them back next year!'

Bodiam Castle - National Trust:

An accomplished and professional group of re-enactors who engage, challenge and entertain the children in a memorable way. We have been very pleased with their performance.

Discovering Medieval also won third prize in Herstmonceux medieval festival living history competition 2005. Considering our numbers and that it's our first year of entering we're very proud of this achievement!

Cost
The cost is negotiable and dependant on how many days you would like to hire us for and how far we need to travel. A discount may apply if you hire us for more than one event.. Please contact us to make an enquiry.

Contact us
To find out more information or to make a booking please contact Paul Hamilton-Viall:

Tel:07795 312420

To contact us, please replace (at) with the @ symbol.

e-mail: info(at)discoveringmedieval.co.uk

Demonstrating the cupping glass cupping glass demo

Medicine display Tooth pulling