Tewkesbury Medieval Festival

Background

The Tewkesbury Medieval Festival was an original idea of then husband and wife, Len and Peggy Clatworthy, in 1984. They were joined by a small group of others including Rachael Mason as a simple fair with 10 stalls, a beer tent, and a small-scale re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury, the town of Tewkesbury, United Kingdom. The festival became a regular celebration held over the second weekend of every July on parts of the original battlefield. In 2005, the organisers—a group of local re-enactors named the Companions of the Black Bear—registered the event as a company to facilitate the application of grants and their protection. Besides the re-enactment and the camp, the festival offers guided walks of the battlefield. Since its start, the event has expanded to become the largest medieval fair in the United Kingdom. Attendance of the festival is open to all, but participation as a re-enactor is by invitation only. The sight of hundreds of men dressed as medieval soldiers and fighting in a battle led Footprint England to list the event as one of the "ten most bizarre festivals" in the country.

Re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury

The festival's main feature is its re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury, which was fought on 4 May 1471 between the Houses of York and Lancaster. The engagement was a decisive victory for the Yorkists and their leader, King Edward IV. The forces of the House of Lancaster were decimated, and their leaders killed or captured, leaving Edward as the unchallenged ruler of England. Several Lancastrians fled the battlefield and sought sanctuary at Tewkesbury Abbey. The Yorkists stormed the abbey, captured their foes, and executed them.

The re-enactment at the first festival was a simple affair compared to later years: approximately 100 local enthusiasts, kitted out in crude imitations of medieval gear, fought each other on the fields of Tewkesbury. As the festival became more popular over the years, the scale and quality of the re-enactment changed. Re-enactors from other parts of the United Kingdom joined the event, as well as those from Poland, Germany and other European countries. The armour and weapons used in the later years were faithful steel reproductions that could cost thousands of pounds sterling (£). By 2002, the Battle of Tewkesbury was re-enacted by approximately 2,000 men and women, and the British Broadcasting Corporation called the next year's re-enactment the largest in Europe.

Medieval camp

Since 2002, the festival has been more than a small setup of stalls. It has grown to be a camp of up to 120 stalls, where life in medieval times is enacted by participants of the battle and their families. Many enthusiasts come from foreign countries, such as Belarus and Hungary. Short bouts of simulated duels are performed in the camp and a jousting tournament was also featured. The festival has attracted visitors from as far as New Zealand and the west coast of the United States; the local tabloid quoted an estimate of 25,000 visitors to the festival in 2003.

Town of Tewkesbury

Although the town council of Tewkesbury plays no part in organising the festival, it has supported the event by giving it grants (the amount for 2005 and 2008 was £1,000 each). Most of the money for organising the festival is recouped from "tithes paid by the [stall holders]", which at times proved insufficient to cover the expenses; the event was operating in the red for 2002–2004. The pubs and restaurants serve medieval-style fare as well. A free bus service connects the town and the festival.

File:Tewkesbury Medieval Festival 2008 - Drummers.jpg|Entertainers at the festival File:Tewkesbury Medieval Festival 2009 - Pots and pans.jpg|Facets of medieval life File:Tewkesbury Medieval Festival 2008 - Jousting.jpg|Jousting File:Tewkesbury Medieval Festival 2009 - Archers.jpg|Re-enactment of the missile exchange

References

References

1. (2004). "Footprint England". [[Footprint Books]].
2. Clatworthy, Peggy. "Silver Jubilee for Medieval Festival".
3. (May 2011). "Make the Most of Your Time in Britain: 500 Great British Experiences". [[Rough Guides]].
4. (11 Nov 2004). "Medieval Event Needs More Help". Newsquest.
5. Aitch, Iain. (11 July 2009). "Event preview: Tewkesbury Medieval Festival, Tewkesbury". [[Guardian Media Group]].
6. (July 2003). "Tewkesbury Medieval Festival". [[BBC]].
7. (2003). "Tewkesbury 1471". [[Osprey Publishing]].
8. (17 June 2004). "Search Is On for Battle 'Veterans'". Newsquest.
9. (22 February 2008). "Worldwide Interest in Festival". Newsquest.
10. (16 June 2005). "Battle History Goes on Show". Newsquest.
11. (April 2021}} Aside from the battle, the storming of Tewkesbury Abbey is also re-enacted during the festival. The subsequent trial and execution of the prisoners are acted out in a mock fashion.{{cite news). "Medieval Festival". Newsquest.
12. (14 June 2002). "Off with Their Heads as Fair Becomes a Festival". Newsquest.
13. (17 July 2006). "Organisers Sorry for Seating Loss". Newsquest.
14. (2 May 2008). "German Band Heading for Festival". Newsquest.
15. (24 March 2005). "Joy for Some but Grant Cash Is Cut". Newsquest.
16. (13 Dec 2007). "Grants in the Tewkesbury Budget". Newsquest.
17. (30 June 2005). "Town Dresses Up for Its Big Dates". Newsquest.