Go back to medieval times (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Go back to medieval times

8:56am Thursday 19th August 2010 in

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Shoot arrows, watch jousting events and get up close to birds of prey at the Royal Gunpowder Mills, writes Nick Elvin

Knights in shining armour will descend on Waltham Abbey this weekend to show off their timeless skills.

Royal Gunpowder Mills is hosting a medieval weekend on Saturday and Sunday, featuring activities popular in the period 1250 to 1300.

There will be jousting, courtesy of the Knights of Arkley, who dressed in glittering costumes, will show off their speed and daring as they ride in the skills-at-arms, and then later confront each other with lance and shield in a jousting competition.

There will also be a birds of prey display by Ye Olde Redtail Falconry, with two 30-minute shows featuring Harris hawks, falcons, vultures, kestrels and kites, as well as the European eagle owl, barn owl and snowy owl.

The Company of 1415 medieval demonstration team will be showing off their long bow skills, while the Royal Golden Eagle archers will be hosting have-a-go at archery sessions.

This will give visitors an opportunity to learn from the experts how to shoot arrows. The archers will also be displaying the skills that have made them regulars at events throughout the country, as well as in blockbuster movies, including the recent Ridley Scott Robin Hood film, and Steven Spielberg’s forthcoming War Horse.

Roger Summers, show director of Royal Golden Eagle, says this weekend’s event carries on a tradition and dates back centuries, when big crowds would turn up to see knights in action.

“The knights would become very well known for what they did,“ he says. “If you look at Henry VIII later on, he also used to hold jousting events himself and had armour made for him.“ Royal Golden Eagle will return to the Waltham Abbey venue the following weekend for a Robin Hood spectacular, and Roger says he has now perfected the skill of shooting six flaming arrows at once, something that medieval archers did not do.

“They wouldn’t have shot six arrows,“ he says. “It’s all showmanship. When Kevin Costner played Robin Hood, they shot two arrows in the film. I thought I could do three. Now it’s ended up as six.“ The bank holiday weekend event will climax with a spectacular tribute to one of the Royal Golden Eagle’s former archers, Ken Mead, who died recently, while other features include a competition for children wearing the best medieval costumes.

Medieval weekend is on August 21 and 22, 10am to 5pm and the Robin Hood event is on bank holiday weekend, 10am to 5pm at the Royal Gunpowder Mills, Beaulieu Drive, Waltham Abbey. Telephone: 01992 707370, www.royalgunpowdermills.com