English

Knaresborough Castle recreates the Royal Court at the UK’s largest medieval festival

Report this content

9 and 16 August 2014, 11am – 4pm

Royal fortress Knaresborough Castle invites all lords and ladies to the royal court this August, during two special events organised as part of the Yorkshire Medieval Festival, the largest UK festival dedicated to the Middle Ages.

  • On Saturday 9 August, Swords & Sieges is an entertaining family day with medieval sword fighting workshops, castle tours, crafts and activities. All brave squires taking part in the 'Have a Go Sword' event will be knighted for their services.

  • On Saturday 16 August, Tales and Troubadours features medieval music, stories and tours of the castle and sallyport, a secret underground tunnel that would have been used as an escape route during deadly sieges or to ambush invading troops.

“There is no more fitting place to recreate the medieval world of the royal court”, explains Danielle Daglan, festival director. “From its imposing cliff-top location, the romantic ruins once played a pivotal role in the nation’s history - the Castle was of such strategic importance that it remained a royal fortress throughout the Middle Ages. In fact, King John lavished more money on Knaresborough – and its Yorkshire sister, Scarborough Castle – than any other castle in the realm. During the reign of Edward III, when Chivalry reached a pinnacle, the castle welcomed the royal court during the summer, and the walls would have echoed with music, merriment and the sounds of knightly tournament. Even today, Knaresborough Castle is still in the possession of the Crown.”

Taking place between 11am – 4pm, entrance to the Knaresborough Castle events is free; some of the activities can be paid for with special medieval coins exchanged for modern money, available to purchase for £1 each or 6 for £5.

The Yorkshire Medieval Festival, now in its third year, is organised by The JORVIK Group, who also host the annual JORVIK Viking Festival. The four-week festival brings together medieval themed events, activities, talks and tours around the region celebrating the 500 year period from the Norman invasion until the demise of Richard III and the start of the Tudor era.

“The medieval period was a time of significant change for Yorkshire, with its power and importance waxing and waning with each generation, but we’re fantastically fortunate to still have many castles, churches and buildings from the period still around today,” adds Danielle. “The Yorkshire Medieval Festival makes this history even more accessible, whether through talks from expert historians or getting your hands on a replica medieval sword for a session of combat training, we’ve got a whole summer of medieval fun across the Yorkshire region organised from the medieval capital of the North, York.”

Other highlights of the Yorkshire Medieval Festival are:

  • Medieval Combat Class at York Guildhall from Monday 18 – Friday 22 August– led by the Hotspur School of Defence, these 90 minute sessions feature fight demonstrations and the chance to try out some medieval weaponry with expert tuition. The workshops are suitable for both children and adults.

  • Hollywood & The Sword: Dispelling Popular Myths about Medieval Combat, Friday 22 August at York Mansion House. Movie fight scenes may be spectacular, but often the dramatic licence can mean that the fight can lead to misconceptions about combat. This session looks at how Tinseltown has done well – and not so well – at portraying combat on screen.

  • Church Explorers – taking place at some of Yorkshire’s most beautiful medieval churches across the region throughout August, these tours offer a unique insight into churches large and small, with specially organised walks and tours.

  • Colours of Conflict: The Wars of the Roses in Yorkshire, daily at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall in York. A new exhibition exploring the terrible events of the Wars of the Roses in Yorkshire.

    For more information, or for a full programme of Yorkshire Medieval Festival events, please visit www.yorkshire-medieval-festival.com

    ENDS

    For further media information or photographs, please contact:

    Jay Commins or Nicola Bexon

    Pyper York Limited

    Tel:        01904 500698

    Email:   jay@pyperyork.co.uk or sam@pyperyork.co.uk

Media

Media