Leominster’s park – the Grange –  is being transformed by Regia Anglorum, a group of re-enactors – into a Viking village for the weekend of 30 & 31 May. The actors will live like Vikings, eating, sleeping, singing, praying, playing and doing battle training. Visitors can get up close and ask questions about what it means to live in Viking times, what they ate, how they dressed, how they talked, what they were doing in Leominster in the 8th Century.
Everything in the mediaeval world was made by hand; from simple carved wooden spoons and bowls to highly intricate embroidery and jewellery. Farmers, carpenters, blacksmiths, weavers, cooks, merchants, glassblowers and many more all made up the rich tapestry of crafts and trades. One wool dress would pass through the hands of shepherds, spinners, weavers, dyers, and dress makers to become what it is.
Walk through our camp and into the lives of people who existed a millennium ago. The Regia Anglora members have dedicated themselves to learning various skills to accurately portray the daily existence of people from this era.
The group are also bringing with them a full size Viking ship, which will be inside the Priory along with smaller coracles and examples of Viking warrior weaponry.
Specific events being presented by Regia Anglorum include
Viking Burial – Sat 30th May at 11am  in the Norman nave of the Priory– a demonstration of the authentic burial rituals for a fallen Viking warrior, including the placement of weapons, shields, and personal grave goods
Anglo Saxon Night Prayer – Sat 30th May at 8.30pm Listen to the singing of Latin and Anglo-Saxon prayers by candlelight in Leominster Priory which has one of the best acoustics in the country, and was founded in 660. The prayers reflect the deep piety and structured religious life of the late Anglo-Saxon period, which was a core pillar of their society.
Viking and Anglo-Saxon Fashion Show in the Priory– Sunday 31st May at 11.30. All clothing was made by hand, mostly of wool, linen and leather but there are key differences between the attire of women and men, and of Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings who adorned their clothes with decorative brooches, and embroideries. The Vikings also had distinctive hair-styles and were known for their tattoos and jewellery. Status mattered too, and imported fabrics brought colour and other refinements to clothing.
THE BIG BATTLE!
On both Saturday 30th May and Sunday 31st May at 3pm on the Grange, Regia Anglorum takes to the battlefield to demonstrate the tactics and equipment for a typical clash of armies. The warriors carry fully authentic replicas of period weapons and war-gear and are trained in a competitive combat style, which makes for a dramatic and entertainingly brutal, but family friendly show. The battle is narrated and may be accompanied by loud music.
