Anglo Saxon and Viking warriors gear up for weekend of war at Tamworth’s Castle Grounds
Armies of Anglo-Saxon and Viking warriors will descend on Tamworth Castle Grounds this weekend for two days of battles, skirmishes and weapons displays.
The picturesque Castle Grounds will be transported back in time this Saturday, September 18 and Sunday, September 19 to give the public a glimpse into this significant part of the town’s history.
Hosted by the Tamworth Arts and Events team, the FREE Saxon Weekender event will show visitors what life was like in Anglo Saxon times. This includes the life of a fighter, with exciting activities on the lower lawn such as skirmishes, a small-scale battle between Saxon and Viking re-enactors, and a main battle.
There will also be training circles which will be a run-through of fight tactics, a weapons display showing off the different types of weaponry, and kids will get to experience a Kiddie Vike – where children from the audience will be encouraged to engage with the re-enactors and more.
Cllr Robert Pritchard, Deputy Leader of Tamworth Borough Council, said: “We’ve been anticipating this event for months now and I’m excited that it’s just around the corner as it’s an opportunity to showcase the rich history our town has.
“Some people won’t be aware of the imprint the Saxons left on our town and the traditions that we still carry to this day from those times, so this is not only a great educational event to show people how we used to live many centuries ago but it’s a fun one too with so many different fun activities that people can get involved in.
“The best part about it is that it’s free to attend. And combined with the new adventure playground and all the other fun activities in the Castle Grounds, it really is a fantastic place for the whole family.”
Not only will visitors get to experience the ‘war’ aspect of the medieval period but how ordinary members of the public lived their lives and how they occupied their time, too.
This will be showcased through various workshops – from embroidery, coin making and demonstrations of Saxon burial rites all the way to playing Saxon and Viking games, cooking, wattle & daub construction, a pottery making workshop and a purse making workshop for the children.
The full timetable for both days is as follows:
- 10am – Show starts and Living History open
- 11am – Skirmish
- 11.30am – Training Circles.
- 12pm – Kiddie Vike!
- 1.30pm – Weapons Display
- 2pm – Njal’s Saga
- 2.30pm – Kiddie Vike
- 3.45pm – Main battle.
- 5pm – End of show times and close of Living History
The event will run from 10am on Saturday while the Sunday event will start from 9.30am.
The Castle Grounds is located at Riverdrive, Tamworth B79 7ND.
People can even challenge themselves and take their knowledge of Saxon history one step further by experiencing Tamworth Castle’s brand new Anglo-Saxon themed Battle & Tribute Exhibition.
The project, which was supported financially by Lottery players through the National Lottery Heritage Fund, exhibits the fascinating artefacts from the Staffordshire Hoard and offers an interesting exploration of the town’s Saxon history.
The exhibition, costing £768,000 to build, contains a mead hall, an immersive combat film experience, a touch-table strategy game – making you the supreme king of Saxon knowledge. Please note, while the main event in the Castle Grounds is free to attend, admission charges apply to Tamworth Castle.
To enter, visitors will have to pass through the shield wall around Tamworth Castle. The hundreds of shields have been decorated by Tamworth’s youngsters, ready to display for the Saxon Weekender.
In addition to the Saxon Weekender event, Tamworth has a host of outdoor and indoor events occurring during the autumn and winter months.
Visit www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk/whats-on to see the full schedule of entertainment, including Elton John and Stevie Wonder tribute shows, a Horrible Histories production for children’s entertainment, a Tamworth fireworks display and more.
