In the 17th Century, Christmas Day was more than just a religious date – it marked the beginning of the traditional ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ between Christmas and Epiphany Eve, commonly called ‘Twelfth Night’ – we know it from the much later song, but for people in Stuart England this period was a highlight of…
In the 17th Century, Christmas Day was more than just a religious date – it marked the beginning of the traditional ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ between Christmas and Epiphany Eve, commonly called ‘Twelfth Night’ – we know it from the much later song, but for people in Stuart England this period was a highlight of…
In the 17th Century, Christmas Day was more than just a religious date – it marked the beginning of the traditional ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ between Christmas and Epiphany Eve, commonly called ‘Twelfth Night’ – we know it from the much later song, but for people in Stuart England this period was a highlight of…
In the 17th Century, Christmas Day was more than just a religious date – it marked the beginning of the traditional ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ between Christmas and Epiphany Eve, commonly called ‘Twelfth Night’ – we know it from the much later song, but for people in Stuart England this period was a highlight of…
Over the next 48 hours, the inventiveness of the nation’s cooks will be being put sorely to the test as the remains of innumerable turkeys are whittled down into pies, curries, and soups for those not yet tired of this magnificent fowl.
Members of the public are always full of questions about what we do and why, from where we get our costumes from to how we choose sides. One of the most common questions is “How did you get into reenactment?”. For every member of our regiment it’s a different story – some of us had…
How ‘gunpowder, treason and plot’ turned into ‘bonfires, fireworks and vandalism’… (Plus the surprising connection with the Earl of Manchester!) Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night, Squib-Night, Plot Night, or simply ‘The Fifth’ are just some of the names that have been used to describe one of the most popular events of the traditional year for…
The witch-finders of the 17th Century have become a staple of cheap horror since they preyed on communities. Helped by folktales, books, TV shows and films, most famously the 1968 Witchfinder General starring Vincent Price, the figure of this self-appointed Christian inquisitor has, ironically, taken on almost supernatural qualities as a symbol of evil and…
On Friday 26th October, we are taking the Ashmolean Museum back to a dark period of English history as we conduct a 1600s witch trial as part of the critically-acclaimed Spellbound exhibition. Our players will be staging performances throughout the museum as part of the fantastic Live Friday event, as we use authentic accounts from witch trials of…
Every Hallowe’en, the internet is awash with stories of the ‘witches’ and witch-finders of the 17th Century. But although Matthew Hopkins, the notorious ‘Witchfinder General’ is undoubtedly the most famous witch-hunter, he was by no means alone. The practice of ‘witch-finding’ was relatively rare in England and most accusations of witchcraft would have been dealt…