History Workshops

13/10/2026

Another day...another Roman workshop!

"Hail Caesar!"

"Well actually no, it's quite bright with a stiff breeze."
😁😉🤣

11/10/2026

⚔️ BIG SHIELDS, HEAVY ARMOUR… AND TINY LITTLE SOLDIERS! 🛡️

At History Workshops, we believe history should be something you can SEE, TOUCH, EXPERIENCE… and occasionally hide behind! 😂

We bring the LARGE AND THE SMALL to our school visits and history events!

🛡️ Huge shields that children can actually hide behind.

⚔️ Armour that looks impressive enough… and weighs so much they can barely lift it!

🤢 A sponge on a stick for that all-important “Eeeeeewwwww!” reaction when we explore the less glamorous side of life as a soldier!

And then there are the tiny soldiers…

These 28mm Carthaginian warriors have been individually hand-painted by me, and although they might be small, they pack a serious visual punch! They help bring ancient armies, battle formations and the world of Hannibal to life in miniature.

Because sometimes it's the enormous shield that makes a child gasp… and sometimes it's a tiny painted soldier that sparks a huge imagination.

From the Roman Empire to the English Civil War, the Monmouth Rebellion and beyond, we bring history to life in ways that are hands-on, memorable, educational and FUN!**

🎓 History Workshops — bringing history to life, one giant shield and tiny soldier at a time!

📩 Schools, museums, heritage venues and event organisers — get in touch to find out how we can bring history to YOUR next event.

07/09/2026

Massive thanks to Chris - you ol' rebel!

It was a pleasure to welcome Monmouth Rebellion re-enactors, Mark and Chalkie of History Workshops, to the Tribunal on Sunday. A big thank you to the Rebels and all the lovely visitors who came to learn about the Rebellion, the Battle of Sedgemoor and its awful aftermath. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

It is sobering to think that, although the story that Judge Jeffreys held court in the Tribunal is a myth, there is no doubt that the house was witness to the hanging of five men of the Rebellion. Israel Bryant, John Hicks, Richard Pierce, William Mead and James Pyes were hanged ‘at the sign of the White Hart’, an inn which stood directly opposite the Tribunal.

05/09/2026

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!
Hopefully see loads of Monmouth fans there 😁😁

Pop in to Glastonbury Tribunal on the High Street on Sunday September 6th and encounter the men who fought against the army of King James II. Men of Glastonbury followed the Duke of Monmouth in rebellion and met defeat at the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685. Learn about the work of the barber-surgeon and discover the fate of those condemned at the Bloody Assizes.

We are open 10-4, £4 for Adults under 16 half price with under 5s free

Come and explore those grim times in a building that was witness to it all.

02/09/2026

WE'RE AT THE GLASTONBURY TRIBUNAL THIS SUNDAY!
Portraying both rebels and redcoats of the Monmouth Rebellion

The town's role in the doomed Monmouth Rebellion will be explored at a special history event this Sunday.

27/08/2026

Big thanks to Shane at the Uffculme Show!

He helped me demonstrate to the crowd how to string a recurve bow. He may not look like it - but he was enjoying himself 😁😊

25/08/2026

The British Army’s “Conscience Round”

Did you know that British Army firing squads were sometimes issued a “conscience round”?

When a condemned soldier faced a firing squad, the ri**es were loaded—but one r***e could contain a blank cartridge. This meant that each member of the squad could potentially believe that their r***e had not fired the fatal shot.

The idea was intended to ease the psychological burden on the soldiers carrying out the ex*****on.

But how common was this practice? And did the soldiers actually know which r***e contained the blank?

A fascinating—and chilling—piece of British military history.

👇 Would you have been able to take part in a firing squad?

25/08/2026

ROMANS IN THE SUN
We had a cracking day on Sunday at the Uffculme Show. Throughout the day, we put on displays (with a lot of help from my mate Chris Chalk!) as well as our living history tent. We were exhausted by the end of the day as we were chatting and demonstrating to so many interested people. We thank everyone who came up and chatted and took so much interest in what we were doing.

If you would like a Roman soldier at an event (SouthWest based) then please do get in touch!

24/08/2026

This is video of myself and my friend (Chris) firing muskets at the Bridgwater Living History Day last weekend. We were portraying a redcoat of the king’s army and a rebel from the Duke of Monmouth’s army of 1685. The first clip has been slowed down already and then gets progressively slower in the video.
In the background, Chris is firing a flintlock fowling piece and I am firing a matchlock musket. It is always fascinating to see the guns firing in slow motion and to experience the physics you just don’t see in a real-time firing.
In the background, Chris’ flintlock appears to fire almost immediately after the trigger is pulled. The hammer falls forwards, the flint strikes the steel frizzen, sparks are created, the pan in the powder ignites and then the main charge ignites straight after.
The matchlock in the foreground is similar in the first clip, slightly slower initial ignition and a slight delay between pan and main charge igniting.
It is fascinating to see the force of the explosion coming out of the pan and touchhole. On top of this, even though there was no wadding or lead ball in the guns, there is still a noticeable kick.
As we get slower and slower throughout the video, we can see the real delay in between a) the trigger being pulled and the initial ignition and b) the delay between the pan igniting and the main charge.
The slow-motion also demonstrates the inherent danger of the matchlock as a weapon, especially when used in close proximity to other soldiers. The concussion of the gun going off, wrenches the burning matchcord from the serpent and we can see it flailing in front of the musketeer’s body – exactly where he has his bandolier – wooden bottles filled with gunpowder!

24/08/2026

A BRILLIANT DAY
Thank you to Bridgwater Town Council for putting on their Living History Day.
It was a bit of a scorcher but big crowds, great visitors and other cracking reenactment groups made the day a cracking success!
Can't wait until next year!
And a huge thank you to my mate Chris Chalk who gave up his Saturday to help!