SPECIAL EVENTS (LIVING HISTORY)
AT
KENILWORTH CASTLE

Special Events are held at Kenilworth Castle on many weekends through the Summer. This page has a selection of pictures taken at some of these events. We make no attempt to comprehensively cover all the activities of each of the performing groups, but intend just to give you a flavour of some of the activities which take place at Kenilworth Castle. Page Contents Queen Elizabeth I's visit to Kenilworth 2002 Marquess of Winchester's Regiment - civil war royalists York City Levy - medieval life Lion Rampant - courtly entertainment Wardour Garrison - cavaliers and roundheads Roman Military Research Society - centurions Catherine Swynford - wife of John O'Gaunt Raphael Falconry - birds of prey Queen Elizabeth I's Visit to Kenilworth Castle Jubilee Weekend 2002 This first set of pictures were taken during the Jubilee weekend, June 2002. This is Sir Robert Dudley, owner of Kenilworth Castle, here instructing Warwickshire peasantry on Royal etiquette, prior to the visit of Queen Elizabeth. Sir Robert, just visible in the far distance, lines up the townsfolk and peasants into an aisle, to greet Her Majesty. Minstrels Her Majesty and Sir Robert enjoy a play, of St George and the Dragon. The Marquess of Winchester's Regiment This next set of pictures were taken in late May, and show The Marquess of Winchester's Regiment in action at Kenilworth Castle. The Marquess of Winchester's Regiment is a royalist regiment, from the time of the Civil War. Their reenactment group includes soldiers (pikemen, musketeers, and canon) and also civilian households, tradesmen and craftsmen. This is part of the open air kitchen. You need to crack a lot of eggs to feed an army. This gentleman, who I thought looked a bit like Prospero, is a staff officer with the army. His tent is full of instuments for surveying. His role is to advise on the territorial aspects of battles, the placement of canon, castle architecture, and logistics. A drummer, and below, pikemen. There are two types of foot soldier. The pikemen, shown above, who are heavily amoured, and fight at close quarters, and the musketeers, shown below, who fire at long range. This gentleman is the sergeant in command of the musketeers. The two pictures below show musketeers explaining to visitors how their muskets work. The piece of cord (1) is soaked in saltpetre and smoulders. The cord is held in a movable armature (2). Gunpowder is placed in the barrel (4). When the trigger (3) is pulled, the armature swings over, bringing the smouldering cord into contact with the gunpowder (4). Quite dramatic. A canon being prepared for firing. This makes a great boom, greatly appreciated by the visitors, and probably heard over much of Kenilworth. A mother and her baby find some peace. Lion Rampant This next set of pictures were taken on a weekend in June, and show The Lion Rampant Medieval Display Society. Lion Rampant demonstrate forms of courtly entertainment - music, singing, dancing, jongleurs (juggling), story telling and enactment, archery, and armed combat. The picture above shows jongleurs performing before the assembled lords and ladies. The element in their performance which is particularly memorable is their music and singing (though it isn't possible to convey this in photos). They use a wide variety of authentic medieval instruments - large and small drums, and wind and stringed instruments. The musicians accompany both singing, and displays of formal dancing. Medieval Life This set of pictures were taken on a weekend in May, and show a historial reenactment group, the York City Levy, demonstrating various aspects of medieval life. These people are playing a game with a feathered shuttlecock, similar to badminton, but with solid wooden rackets. These ladies are gathering herbs, in the castle herb garden. The herbs are then used in preparing pottage, a vegetable stew. There are demonstrations of archery, with the English long-bow. And here, medieval weapons and armour are explained to visitors, and visitors are allowed to try on the armour. 2000 Years of the British Soldier This set of pictures were taken at an event staged in May, illustrating 2000 years of British Military history. About 6,000 visitors visited the castle that weekend. The pictures here show just a small selection of the reenactment groups who were taking part. Officers of The Roman Military Research Society. And some of their centurions. Before their demonstration of battle drill, prayers are offered, before the sacred fire, to Jupiter and Mithras. Cavaliers and Roundheads, from the period of The Civil War, presented by The Wardour Garrison. Canon of The Wardour Garrison being prepared for firing. A troop of the 47th Regiment of Foot, preceded by their fife-player. These are the soldiers who took part in the American War of Independence. This is a massed firing of muskets and canon. A loud bang and a lot of smoke. Most of the reneactment groups also demonstrate and explain various traditional crafts. Here is a group spinning. This is Catherine Swynford, wife of John O'Gaunt, owner of the castle. Here talking with some visitors. And here overseeing some fighting knights... Sergeant Claude Horatio Ringwood, a Victorian recruiting sergeant. And, below, giving his demonstration... Raphael Falconry at Kenilworth Castle The pictures just below were taken at a demonstration of falconry, which took place on a chilly weekend in April. This demonstration was given by Raphael Falconry. In the Middle Ages hawks were used to hunt game, and the birds on display here are working birds. This is Altair, a Harris Hawk, and star of the first demonstration. The Harris Hawk is native of South America, and was not used in medieval falconry, but is an impressive bird. Altair is very independent-minded. While flying above the demonstration area within the castle (by the white tents at the near left of this picture), Altair spotted something moving in the marsh outside the castle (at the far right). Altair decided that a warm lunch would be more to his liking than his normal cold rabbit, and absconded to the marsh. Before the demonstation could begin the Master Falconer had to retrieve Altair from the marsh. Retrieved, and back in the grounds, a volunteer was sought from among the spectators. This boy had to run across the demonstration field, dragging a rabbit corpse. Altair prefers dinners that move. I was relieved that Altair (visible in flight at the left of the picture) attacked the rabbit and not the boy. After the demonstration, Altair is forgiven for his misdemeanour. This is Sol, a European Eagle Owl, and the largest bird on display. These birds eat small animals, and can kill small deer. We were told how, in the Middle Ages, owls were associated with witches, because they could fly at night. And this is a Peregrine Falcon, the most noble hawking bird. This bird is exceptionally fast, and is not easy to capture in flight, but I managed to get this snap. We were told of the preminence of this bird in sport, and about John of Gaunt's (who built the Great Banqueting Hall here) interest in the sport. The connection between falcons and kings is extremely ancient. This magnificent sculpture of a falcon with its protective wings around a king, is 5' high, chiselled out of diorite, and is around 4500 years old. It exhibits a quality of workmanship no longer found in this world. See an original picture of this piece in the Cairo Museum. (This is the first piece on that page. The 3rd piece shows another sculpture of a falcon standing over a boy king). The reasons for the association of falcons with kings are obscure. The original intention seems to have been symbolic or magical. There are some, not entirely convincing, reasons at Mysteries of Egypt, and at Heru, and at Encyclopeadia Britannica article on Horus. See also: Arab Falconry Falconry Today Falcons Nest - Live Webcam About Peregrine Falcon Heart-of-England Main Page Be sure to visit my Heart-of-England Main Page. This has pictures and details of Kenilworth Castle itself, Jousting at Warwick Castle, and many other attractions in Warwickshire that you will also enjoy seeing.