Tudor celebrations return to Blakesley Hall

Sunday 29 and Monday 20 May 2016

From swordplay to Shakespeare, visitors for Blakesley Hall on Sunday 29 and Monday 30 May will be treated to a celebration of the historic house’s Tudor heritage, with re-enactments, living history, themed tours and interactive fun!

Throughout the two day event, visitors will enjoy seeing the Tudor property and its grounds repopulated by historic interpreters – from Tudor musicians recreating the sounds of the sixteenth century, to craftspeople and traders showing their wares in a living history encampment. There will also be an opportunity to get involved in Tudor life – learning to write with a quill, dance a Pavane or even take a role in recreating one of the battle scenes from Shakespeare’s classic play, Henry V!

“Blakesley Hall was built at the height of the Tudor period, being completed in 1590 by merchant, Richard Smallbroke, and remains today one of the finest examples of a Tudor house in the country. Whilst you get a sense of its heritage when you visit at any time, turning a corner to find a Tudor woman stitching a sampler, or a gentleman practicing his swordplay is a very special experience,” comments site manager, Steve Spencer. “During our Tudor weekend, you don’t just hear about history, you see, touch, feel and even smell it!”

Indeed, visitors during the weekend have the unusual opportunity to have a guided tour of the house itself by a costumed and knowledgeable guide, and children can even try on period costumes for themselves! Young visitors will also love learning skills with the blade from a master swordsman, or finding out how Tudor children kept themselves occupied playing real Tudor games.

A special treat for this weekend will be a performance of a play written specifically for a Royal visit to the Midlands – Elizabeth I’s visit to Kenilworth Castle in 1575. Performed faithfully to the original script, ‘The Saviour of Albion’ is a rare gem of Elizabethan theatre.

Blakesley Hall’s Tudor Weekend runs on Sunday 29 and Monday 30 May from 11.00am to 4.00pm. Admission is £7.00 for adults and just £2.00 for children. Tickets can be bought on the day, or prebooked by calling 0121 348 8120 or online at www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/blakesley

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Other events coming soon to Blakesley Hall include:

Monarch Mask Making Create your own Tudor King or Queen mask to take home with you. Tuesday 31 May 12.30-2.30pm | £2 per child Craft Activity Thursday 2 June 12.30-2.30pm | £2 per child Animal Mania The mobile zoo comes to Blakesley Hall with lizards, snakes, chinchillas, hedgehogs, bunnies, creepy crawlies and more! Friday 3 June 12 noon – 3pm | £2 per person or free for Blakesley Hall ticket holders

Birmingham Museums Trust is an independent charity that manages the city’s museum collection and venues on behalf of Birmingham City Council. It uses the collection of around 800,000 objects to provide a wide range of arts, cultural and historical experiences, events and activities that deliver accessible learning, creativity and enjoyment for citizens and visitors to the city. Most areas of the collection are designated as being of national importance, including the finest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art in the world. Attracting over one million visits a year, the Trust’s venues include Aston Hall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Blakesley Hall, Museum Collections Centre, Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Sarehole Mill, Soho House, Thinktank and Weoley Castle. www.birminghammuseums.org.uk

Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2015 and 2018, Arts Council England plans to invest £1.1 billion of public money from government and an estimated £700 million from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk

For further media information or photographs, please contact:

Jay Commins

Pyper York Limited

Tel:         01904 500698

Email:    jay@pyperyork.co.uk