Medieval Fair

We are finishing up our study of the middle ages. It has once again taken two years to move through this time period! Last time I studied the middle ages with our older children it was the cause in part for us coming into the Catholic church...all those saints! This time nothing so dramatic just ...life!

Anyway as part of our study we attended our local medieval fair. This is an annual event held in a small country town about an hours drive away.

Until Saturday we had been enjoying for the most part brilliant autumn weather;cool in the early morning and evening and then lovely sunny days. But on Saturday the day started wet and grey!
 Quite good for "imagining" how people did cope in inclement weather in medieval times but for us in the 21st century who had decided not to bring a relatively modern invention(umbrella!) well we also enjoyed more than a few drips!
Still it did not entirely dampen our day and we were able to enjoy watching many dramas reenacted.Many of the "audience" had also come in costume and we walked amongst lordly knights, comic jesters and graceful damsels to name but a few.

This strange photo of Toby shows how often we had to close our eyes to keep at least that part of us dry(!) but it also shows some of the tents different historical societies had put up.

 

We saw meals being cooked over open fires,weaving ans spinning,calligraphy, archery,mail being soldered and much more.

I couldn't resist these photos of an old highland breed of cattle. The mum was so protective of her "little darling"

Not particularly medieval but very cute!

 But what the boys enjoyed the most was the jousting. One of the riders really knew how to involve the crowd. He even got a volunteer to offer to hold the watermelon in the final shot. UUntil it was explained that he might loose the odd hand!