Playing Mediaeval Dress-Ups
The scene: The Abbey Mediaeval Festival
The year: 2014, although looking around you might be confused – it could be any year from 1100 to 1600.
We arrive properly adorned – a lord, his lady and a young knight. The males of our party carry swords on their hips (security checked and approved) and wear cloaks on their backs.
We are not alone. In fact, we are surrounded by similarly dressed folk – a multitude of knights, lords and ladies, along with Vikings, gypsies, jesters, serfs, kings and even a plague doctor.
Banners wave. There is a castle in the distance.
Encampments are scattered throughout the site, many with a pig or lamb on a spit over a fire. We chat with blacksmiths and armourers, millers and cheesemakers, weavers and leatherworkers, furriers and falconers. They address us as “M’Lord” and “M’Lady”.
The sounds of drums and bagpipes and other musical instruments we cannot identify are heard throughout the site. Cannon fire makes us all jump!
We attend a joust. Tumblers and jesters entertain the crowds until the main event. We gasp in awe as the Knights on horseback ride full tilt at each other. We laugh at the Herald’s commentary, wave our joust flags and “Huzzah” until we are hoarse.
I admire a beautiful young Romani dancer and swoon over all the colours and textures in the Shavani encampment. Meanwhile the boys head off to watch knight skirmishes.
The Munchkin does some archery and attends Knight School. Hubby learns some Renaissance-style fencing using rapiers.
We drink mulled wine and Normandy punch – an ancient recipe, originally created by monks from an endless list of herbs, spices and fruits. It is delicious! Hubby gnaws on a lamb shank.
A full moon rises as the juggler winds up his act and the crowd disperses.
Our heads are spinning from all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of a weekend of history-come-alive. The efforts of re-enactors, enthusiasts and volunteers are incredible.
The Munchkin may have lost the forge-welded ring that the blacksmith made especially for him (we were all very upset about that), but we will carry the memories for a long, long time.
Today I am grateful.
