Kenilworth Castle hosts ultimate sporting event - The Knights Tournament
Sunday 26 & Bank Holiday Monday 27 August
(for images, please scroll down for links at the bottom of this news release)
Euro 2012 is over, the London Olympics has staged its closing ceremony, and it will be another two years before the World Cup returns. But if you are looking for a sporting event that combines thrills, spills and competitors that have been known to leave ladies swooning, Kenilworth Castle has the answer as it stages the final heat in the English Heritage Knights Tournament 2012 over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
In two days of contests that combine knights in shining armour with one of the toughest competitions in the country, four knights representing North, South, East and West, accompanied by their ever faithful squires, will converge on Kenilworth Castle for the grand final of the Knights Tournament, a competition that has taken place at castles throughout the realm over the summer. At the end of the weekend, the knight who has scored highest in a wide range of combat disciplines, from archery to hand-to-hand combat with swords and clubs, will be declared English Heritage’s 2012 Tournament Champion.
“When visitors come and watch combat events at Kenilworth Castle, they often think that they have been choreographed in the same way as a Hollywood movie, but in fact, nothing could be further from the truth,” comments Kenilworth Castle’s property manager, Holly Woodward. “Although our knights do follow a chivalrous code of honour – supplemented with one of two 21stcentury rules to help minimise wounding and maiming – these battles are entirely for real, using replica weaponry and with all of the emotion and skill you might have expected to see in a real medieval Crest Melee combat. The knights don’t pull their punches, and really rely on their armour and wits to protect them from the blows of their opponent – and literally, anyone could win!”
To enhance Kenilworth’s full Tournament experience, a living history encampment will be set up within the grounds of the castle where the knights’ entourages and supporters will welcome visitors to see what life would have been like on the move for medieval soldiers and their families as they travelled from place to place to fight for king and country.
Providing light relief from the serious combat, medieval minstrels will wander around the grounds, introducing the joys of dances such as the Branles accompanied on period instruments. Visitors can also meet a genuine ‘fool’ in the guise of the English Heritage court jester. Peterkin will entertain the crowds with silliness, foolery and even a little fire – as well as poking fun at some of the medieval nobles attending the event!
The Knights Tournament runs each day from 11.00am to 5.00pm, with Kenilworth Castle and the Elizabethan Garden opening an hour earlier at 10.00am. Admission prices are £10.30 for adults, £9.30 for concessions, £6.20 for children or £26.70 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children). English Heritage members receive discounted admission of £2.10, £1.90, £1.30 and £5.40 respectively.
A Park & Ride service will run on both event days every 10-15 minutes from 10am – 6pm from Kenilworth Holiday Inn bus stop. Please park in the town centre car parks, charges may apply. Disabled parking available at the main castle car park.
For more information, please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenilworthcastle or call 01926 852078. You can also follow Kenilworth Castle on Facebook.
ENDS
For further media information, please contact:
Jay Commins – PRO English Heritage (West Midlands)
Tel: 0113 251 5698
Mob: 07810 546567
Email: jay@fim.org.uk
