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The seven (horrible) ages of York make history fun for kids at the JORVIK Medieval Festival

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York’s very own horrid history will take centre stage in the activities for children in this year’s JORVIK Medieval Festival, with Horrible Histories author, Terry Deary, bringing his diabolical descriptions of the Seven Ages of York to the Guildhall on 29 August.

The presentation by possibly the most popular authors of children’s non-fiction in history, will tell the stories of the Vicious Vikings, Measly Middle Ages and even the Terrible Tudors and Slimy Stewarts in a live presentation by Terry, accompanied by music from across the centuries by Eboracum Baroque, in what promises to be one of the most hideously funny evenings of this year’s festival.

“We’re very excited to be welcoming Terry back to York for this event – he’s always present in our three medieval attractions, thanks to the child-friendly displays that he has written for us, but hearing the ghastly stories direct from the author’s mouth is one treat that no Horrible Histories fan should miss,” comments Sarah Maltby, director of attractions for the JORVIK Group, which organises the annual celebrations.

Other highlights of the Festival for young history enthusiasts include:

  • Medieval Merriment on bank holiday Monday 31 August, from 10.00am at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, where visitors can step in time to meet the plague doctor and barber surgeon, try their hand at sword-fighting workshops and have-a-go archery sessions and watch as birds of prey swoop above the city in live flying displays.

  • Little Diggers Medieval Mischief events at DIG on St Saviourgate. Running daily from 25 to 29 August with a different theme each day, the DIG team will capture the imagination of young archaeologists with stories of knights and naughty monsters, music and merriment, festivals and fun and costume and characters – hands-on activities making history fun!

  • History at the Hall at Barley Hall sees a group of volunteers turn Barley Hall back into the family home of William Snawsell, a former Lord Mayor of York who lived in the house towards the end of the medieval period on 5, 12, 19 and 26 August.

  • Medieval Day at Knaresborough Castle (11am-4pm, 22 August) provides visitors with an exciting setting within a real medieval castle to meet knights, learn the rules of chivalry and try their hand at archery – an essential skill 600 years ago when it was the British archers who helped secure victory at Agincourt, loosing such a number of arrows that the sky was said to have turned as dark as night as the French stood helpless below! Birds of prey, crafts and tours of the castle complete the day for any lover of historic knights!

  • ‘Crosses & Mice’ at St Mary’s Church in Goathland is one of the Church Explorers events, where children are challenged to find the work of famed carver Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson in this medieval church running daily throughout August.

For more details on the many events that make up the JORVIK Medieval Festival, please visit www.jorvikmedievalfestival.com

Photographs are available by following the links at the bottom of this email, or from http://news.cision.com/the-jorvik-group-of-attractions 

ENDS

For further media information or photographs, please contact:

Jay Commins

Pyper York Limited

Tel:         01904 500698

Email:    jay@pyperyork.co.uk

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