History Live (formerly The Festival of History) was an annual summer event held by English Heritage. The event focused on historical re-enactment. The first event was held in 2003 in the grounds of Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire and attracted 10,000 visitors. It was held once more at Stoneleigh Park in 2004, before moving to Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire, where it was held either in July or August from 2005 onwards. At the time it was Europe's biggest historical event. [1]
English Heritage is the executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport which is responsible for the historic built environment in the UK. Public education on the history of England is a large part of the body's remit. At the time it was held, English Heritage described the Festival of History as its "flagship event" [2] and the "highlight of its event calendar". [3]
Features of the event included historical re-enactments involving several thousand people in all, aerial displays, demonstrations, specialist talks, story-telling, theatre and hands-on events for children. [4]
The 2011 event on 16 and 17 July 2011 at Kelmarsh Hall includes re-enactments of the Imperial Roman Army and gladiatorial fighting; armoured knights and medieval jousting; a display of "tent-pegging", a medieval Indian sport; [18] the Duke of Wellington's redcoats; a Victorian gymkhana; a replica World War I trench [19] and World War II action including a Spitfire flypast. As well as re-enactments there were family activities and sideshows, as well as public talks given by well-known historians and archaeologists. [4]
2011 saw the inaugural Festival of Historical Writing at the event, in partnership with the Historical Writers' Association. Guest speakers include Michael Morpurgo, the author of War Horse , and Manda Scott. [20]
In 2014, the event was renamed History Live! and was still held at Kelmarsh Hall. In February 2015, English Heritage announced there would be no History Live! in 2015 stating "History Live! will not be returning this year, in order to concentrate on delivering a wider range of events across England." [21]
Northamptonshire is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland, and Lincolnshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire to the south, and Warwickshire to the west. Northampton is the largest settlement and the county town.
English Heritage is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses.
Vegreville is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is on Highway 16A approximately 103 km (64 mi) east of Edmonton, Alberta's capital city. It was incorporated as a town in 1906, and that year also saw the founding of the Vegreville Observer, a weekly newspaper for the region.
The Battle of Edgcote took place on 24 July 1469, during the Wars of the Roses. It was fought between a royal army, commanded by the earls of Pembroke and Devon, and a rebel force led by supporters of the Earl of Warwick.
Haselbech is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 87 people. The population remained less than 100 at the 2011 Census and was included in the civil parish of Kelmarsh.
Medieval reenactment is a form of historical reenactment that focuses on re-enacting European history in the period from the fall of Rome to about the end of the 15th century. The second half of this period is often called the Middle Ages. This multiplicity of terms is compounded by the variety of other terms used for the period.
The Battle of Hastings reenactment is a yearly reenactment of the Battle of Hastings, held at Battle Abbey in Battle, East Sussex, UK, and drawing participants from around the world. It takes place every year on the weekend nearest 14 October on the site of the historical battle, although it is often arranged across the hill rather than up it, to take account of the smaller number of participants and the need for spectators.
The Sealed Knot is a British historical association and charity, with many members from outside the United Kingdom, dedicated to costumed reenactment of battles and events surrounding the English Civil War.
Radway is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England, about 7 miles (11 km) north-west of Banbury in neighbouring Oxfordshire. The population taken at the 2011 census had reduced to 238. The village is at the foot of Edge Hill and is notable for the Battle of Edgehill, one of the early major engagements of the English Civil War, which was fought in fields around the village.
The Royal Show, also known as the Royal Agricultural Show, was an annual agricultural show held by the Royal Agricultural Society of England every year from 1839 to 2009. The event encompassed all aspects of farming, food and rural life - from the best of British livestock to the latest business and technological innovations in the farming industry. Over 1,000 stands, world-class livestock and equine classes attracted visitors from over 100 countries.
Vikings of Middle England is a Viking re-enactment and living history group based in Leicester, UK. They portray through historical costume and activities the people who lived, travelled to and invaded Britain in the Viking-Age. Tÿrslið's aim is to entertain and educate an audience using a mix of drama, pageant, special effects, historical context, demonstration and audience participation. Tÿrslið are one of the few groups to display Icelandic Horses in a Viking-Age presentation, with horses and riders from Oakfield Icelandic Horses joining them at events. As well as arena-displays, Vikings of Middle England erect a Living History encampment where members demonstrate Viking-age crafts such as blacksmithing or where the audience can have a go at certain activities such as coin-striking. The organisation once owned a scale replica Longship called Ratatosk.
Historical re-enactment in Australia has been occurring since at least the early 1970s. With no conventional land battles and few protracted civil disturbances since the British colonisation of Australia, most military re-enactment in Australia focuses on events from other countries, including the European Feudal, medieval, and renaissance eras.
The Tewkesbury Medieval Festival is a medieval fair held over the second weekend of every July near the town of Tewkesbury, United Kingdom. Its main feature is the re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury, which was fought in 1471. Located on parts of the ground where the original battle was fought, the festival also features a medieval camp, in which traders ply their wares and visitors are entertained by musicians and acrobats. The largest medieval fair in the United Kingdom, the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival was listed in Footprint England as one of the "ten most bizarre festivals" in the country.
Francis Smith of Warwick (1672–1738) was an English master-builder and architect, much involved in the construction of country houses in the Midland counties of England. Smith of Warwick may refer also to his brothers, or his son.
Ironfest is an historical and cultural event in Lithgow, New South Wales, created by Macgregor Ross, a local artist and festival director. It is a not-for-profit event that celebrates the relationship between humanity and iron, steel and other metals. Hosted as a series of events combined under one large theme, celebrating the cultural heritage and diversity of the Lithgow region, it brings together artists, designers/makers, blacksmiths, performers of all kinds, musicians, historical re-enactors, machine enthusiasts and hobbyists from all over Australia, and the world.
A scarecrow is an artificially made material that frightens or causes fear to the surrounding objects, mostly as a decoy or mannequin that is often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops. Scarecrows are used around the world by farmers, and are a notable symbol of farms and the countryside in popular culture.
The Edmonton Heritage Festival is a three-day festival honouring Alberta's cultural heritage and cultural diversity, which is held annually over the Civic Holiday weekend in William Hawrelak Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
YpsiFest is a festival in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Held each year on the fourth weekend of August, the festival sprawls across Frog Island Park, Riverside Park, and historic Depot Town. The festival features a variety of activities and entertainment including helicopter rides, acrobats and theater performances by Ring of Steel, evening concerts, gambling and bingo, and a huge kids zone full of children specific activities and rides. Additionally there are featured evens like Illumination@YpsiFest where local business compete for prizes by creating illuminated sculptures for an evening display, and an illumination parade.
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Moesgård Viking Moot is an annual historical reenactment event in Aarhus, Denmark with a week-long viking market and mock battles. It is the largest Viking Age reenactment event in Denmark and is held on and near the beaches at Moesgård Museum. There are no permanent structures in the area so a temporary tent camp with markets, blacksmiths and kitchens is erected, modelled after the Great Heathen Army. On the last two days of the event, tiding tournaments, single combat contests and mock battles are performed, featuring up to a 1000 participants and an Icelandic horse cavalry.