A few of our fighting chaps spent the weekend at an event enjoying themselves. Instead of me talking about it, I thought you might like to read one of their accounts!
"The Battle for Black Cat Bridge (or how I finished my medieval season)
We usually end our medieval season with the August Bank Holiday event “England’s Medieval Festival” at Herstmonceux Castle. However, this year I was invited to the Battle For Black Cat Bridge for the first weekend in September. With soldiers’ tent in hand and a case full of armour I headed north to Swindon to discover a new event, meet new people and fight new battles.
This event was everything I had been promised and more. Small enough to be friendly and relaxing, but enough people and encampments to make a wander through the field at night an experience of tall tales, beer offerings, and loud laughter.
I chatted with Chris, the organiser, around the campfire. He explained that this was an event for reenactors, which is open to the public, rather than an event for the public supported by reenactors. Over the weekend, this ethos was at the forefront, and it made the whole event so relaxing. With the sun shining bright, the champions battles in the morning were a fun way to start the day. The afternoon giving us the battles consisting of 5 good pushes, more champions challenges, and finishing with flat shooting of the knights: All combining to make it some of the most enjoyable fighting I have had for last few years.
So a big thank you to Chris and the Black Cat Team for great organisation, the lovely people in the food truck for top notch food (honestly guys, one of the best burgers I have had in years), the band “Splat the Rat” for the great music, the talented musician (I don’t know your name I am afraid) for the lilting harp music that drifted over the field as we sat round the camp fires, to my neighbours the Vikings, and to all the great fighters on the battlefield. I am already looking forward to next year, and this time I will bring my bow for the archery competition as well."
House of Brandt
Welcome to the House of Brandt. We are re-enactors for the War of the Roses period and aim to show a German family in Mediaeval England.
We can be found at events around the South East of England alongside other re-enactors. Come visit our page, see us at events and enjoy life in the 1450’s.
Operating as usual
Barnet Medieval Festival - 11th/12th September
A fabulous medieval festival, worth a visit if you are in the area. Watch out for one of our fighting Archers, who'll be joining in the fun!
Tired and exhausted we have finally stopped after a fabulous weekend at England's Medieval Festival at Herstmonceux Castle. Met new people, made new friends, fought battles old, and had a good laugh. Thank you to all who helped make it a great time.
Best bit for me was the daily cooking where we tried lots of different mediaeval foods and all worked. Was a bit nervous cooking recipes that were intended for kitchens, on open camp fires, and really pleased with the reactions from our lovely group as well as the public. Best bit for the chaps were the battles. Here is to next year.
Some great photos of the event can be found on Matthew D Crosby Photographics page, or in the link below.
https://www.matthewdcrosby.com/Events/Englands-Medieval-Festival-2021/
(photo credit Matthew D Crosby; our chaps in the melee!)
Getting ready for camp can be a long drawn out process, often with the last moment panic of "where did I put that" after the last, hastily packed take down for the event before.
But one of the upsides is restocking display items, in this case Spice and Herbs. Lovely smells fill our room as I pack Grains of Paradise, Long Pepper, Mace and so many more.
Looking forward to using them in our cooking for our medieval lunches at England's Medieval Festival at Herstmonceux Castle!
Loxwood '21 happened! We only went for the first weekend but ended up staying an extra four days to dry out. Wet is an understatement. Rain of Biblical levels down-poured on us for what felt like days. It turned Loxwood into a rather messy area and stopped fun for the Saturday. All this aside we had a lovely time with meeting new people, who gave us great support and shared hints and tips, as well as a practice with our encampment and new equipment. Roll on England's Medieval Festival at Herstmonceux Castle, fingers crossed for a dryer weekend!
Two posts in a day is unusual but we've just learnt that the good people of Sussex Falconry are doing a crazy 17 miles in full kit and armour (and the rain!) fundraiser today, to try to fund for a new home. Having walked the route they are doing, and seen the fabulous work they do with their birds, we just had to share. Please do have a read of their post and click the link if you can spare a little to help them out:
" The armour is all polished and the pilgrimage has begun. Chloe and her merry band have set off from Pevensey Castle! And will be walking 17miles with Chloe in full 15th Century Armor. In aid to raise money to help build our new Falconry centre.
If you want to give them a cheer along the way today, the stop offs are:
Herstmonceux Church
Herstmonceaux Castle Entrance
The Bull, Boreham Street
The Ash, Ashburnham
Battle Abbey
And few groats or pennies, no matter how small, would be most welcome to"
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sussexfalconry?fbclid=IwAR2VLQO0RPVZRulEgmxpUQRDLBDM8T1v_x6iNsv_X6KVobT8qIOVBItl_Vw
Help raise £10000 to find and build Sussex Falconry's new home Weʼre raising money to find and build Sussex Falconry's new home. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.
"There's a popular misconception that swords were historically too heavy for women or small men to lift. Thus this comparison chart was created based on the actual weight of historical swords in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, UK. If you're strong enough to pick up a baby, you're strong enough to lift and to wield the heaviest sword.
Words credit: Swordwind Historical Swordmanship
Image Credit: Carrie Patrick"
As summer arrives the smell of camp fires beckon and well the insects get a bit too friendly. So we thought these links and graphics might be helpful. Ticks in particular are high in numbers this year so do be careful whilst having fun in the fab outdoors!
https://www.campsites.co.uk/guides/camping-for-beginners/how-to-avoid-insects-while-camping
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/
Not long to go and we get to be at our first event since 2019! Come join us and many other fabulous people at Loxwood Joust.
Whilst most of the House of Brandt use the English Long Bow a few of our members also use a horse bow, similar to the bow being made in this video.
I once had to remove all bones from inside a medium sized chicken. It was for a EFL student of ours because their Colombian recipe called for it, before stuffing with pork, peas, and carrots. So it was with interest that I read this article on Medieval Cookery. We have a few quails so am thinking I'll try this trick for our camps this summer.
Interested in seeing how it is done? Join TORMs virtual weekend...
TORMVIRTUAL MARKET ONLINE
All Things Historical With TORM - The Original and Best
March 12-14 2021
Join the TORM traders and friends for an amazing weekend of historical demonstrations, talks and displays. Meet the traders, explore their wares, and make your purchases online.
With a different theme on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, each day is packed with historical content, with loads to learn and enjoy...
Friday March 12th: 5 - 9pm GMT
Living History evening around the virtual campfire.
Saturday March 13th: 11am - 8pm GMT
An afternoon of all things costume - plus a special tasty treat in the morning... To Be Revealed!
Sunday March 14th: 12 noon - 5pm GMT
Who doesn’t love a battle reenactment? It’s Weapons and Warfare all day, from Romans onwards...
It all happens on Zoom - here is the link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8692026629?pwd=Y043d2pLQzZYUDNjQ2poYTFBZUVWdz09 - backed up on the TORM Virtual page for traders’ links and offers.
[https://www.facebook.com/tormvirtual]
TORM Virtual - Back Again, Bigger and Better Than Ever!
Event link https://www.facebook.com/events/277205393755355
Not our period, but I might be persuaded to like the Vikings if they came with this sort of axe and buckler!
https://www.facebook.com/amauryguichon.chef/videos/3867387953299541
Its been a while, hope all are remaining safe and well. Fingers crossed for some of the 2021 season to happen, and in the meanwhile hopefully this will help a laugh or two...
2020 the year that wasn't. We have very much missed our medieval family. With every cancelled event is another person or group we haven't managed to see. Looking forward to 2021 when hopefully we will be able to resume our reenacting. In the meanwhile one of the battles, Tewkesbury, have shared these lovely lyrics:
Image source: Utopia, armarium codicum bibliophilorum, Cod. 101, p. 3r – Book of Hours from Paris (www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/utp/0101/3r)
Sad news from Loxwood Joust. Cancelled for 2020, but yay, new dates for 2021!
My lords and ladies! As you are aware a plague has overtaken the Kingdom in the Year 2020 and the good people of the realm must now be at least a swords length away from each other at all times to 'socially distance'. ⚔️
The continuation of the plague has resulted in the Queen and her advisors taking the incredibly difficult decision to cancel this year's Loxwood Joust, scheduled to take place in September, due to the current restrictions. 🛡
Safety of the people of the realm and the Kingdom of Loxwood is paramount, and while we would love to battle and joust for your entertainment and merriment, alas we cannot at this time. ⚔️
Never fear, however! We shall return next year, with an even more splendid tournament for you to enjoy, with immense battles, swash-buckling swordsmanship, phenomenal jousting, and much, much more. You will truly be able to step back in time when you enter the Kingdom of Loxwood and experience the medieval world for yourself. 🛡
So please mark 7th & 8th August 2021 and 14th & 15th August 2021 in ye olde diaries in readiness! ⚔️
If you wish to be an early bird, you can purchase your tickets for next year's magnificent Loxwood Joust now, to give yourselves much to look forward to (and if we may say so, tickets also make excellent gifts!). ⚔️🛡⚔️
https://loxwoodjoust.co.uk/tickets/
Barnett 2020 has unfortunately had to say "Not this year". But never fear, we will be with them as they have a fantastic festival for the 550th Anniversary celebrations, in June 2021.
It is with great regret that the Festival team has decided to cancel this year's Barnet Medieval Festival which had been due to take place on 19th and 20th September. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has meant that it is neither feasible nor safe to stage the Festival as we had hoped when rescheduling the event earlier this year.
We realise that this news will be a disappointment to all the wonderful re-enactors, traders, stall-holders, performers and visitors who were looking forward to the event but your health and safety is our number one priority.
We hope to welcome you back to Barnet for next year's Barnet Medieval Festival on the weekend of 5th and 6th June 2021, when we will be commemorating the 550th anniversary of the Battle of Barnet. We have exciting plans to mark the anniversary which we will be announcing over the next few months.
When we start to put or kit together it is important to appreciate and understand the place that Pilgrim badges would have in the 1300/1400's. A local business, Lionheart Replicas, are very good at making these using traditional methods. This is an interesting post for St Albans Day by Lionheart.
They also make and repoduce many other items from the middle ages; well worth a look at their page and website. Not just for reenactors, there are some lovely items you could give for birthdays, celebrations or even Valentines day.
Lionheart Replicas
https://www.lionheartreplicas.co.uk/
Alas the August spectacle has to be postponed due to that dastardly virus. New dates to come and join in the fun are 19th-20th September. Hope to see you all there!
Ever wondered about those weird rabbits and Giant snails in medieval manuscripts? Well awesome news you can now go join the kickstarter for a game where you can join in the fun. As they say over at Inkulinati;
"Become a master of the Living Ink and lead your illustrated animal army on the pages of medieval books. Create your own bestiary, duel with medieval celebrities and go on wild quests, encounters and challenges. Through actions write your story and become a legendary Master Inkulinati!"
We can't wait!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yazagames/inkulinati?fbclid=IwAR2q_msdROLLMfGK8okHXkz2Lx9mdkfxaBGzhZa11T3mWpah14_S_XqUIHs
During lockdown many of the fabulous traders from the reenacting world are suffering with events being cancelled. We thought we would use some of this time to advertise their wares and hope that some of you can support them.
These are made by Turnaround Wood. Lovely people who can do amazing things with wood. Do have a look at their page or their website http://turnaroundwood.com/Turnaround/Welcome.html
Here at House of Brandt we rather love Snoopy ❤️
Don't forget your five a day! Stay safe :)
It is one of our Knight's birthdays today. Cake shall have to wait until the next training session happens but in the meanwhile a very big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sir David! 🎂🍻
Entered self-isolation and are already bored? Then here is something the arty crafty among you might appreciate; free downloadable colouring books from different collections covering all periods including the middle ages. Time to crack out those pencils.
http://www.openculture.com/2019/02/download-free-coloring-books-from-113-museums.html?fbclid=IwAR3gQsQdqQPpjVHLTE3AxSYuyV6xhyQiEqQHeizhSoptl-ORYBzapumNrZk://www.openculture.com/2019/02/download-free-coloring-books-from-113-museums.html?fbclid=IwAR3gQsQdqQPpjVHLTE3AxSYuyV6xhyQiEqQHeizhSoptl-ORYBzapumNrZk
Download Free Coloring Books from 113 Museums One can only color so many floral-trimmed affirmations before one begins to crave something slightly more perverse.
We are taking the social-distancing seriously...(Hope you are all safe!)
Today is World Book day in the UK and kids everywhere scramble to wear their favourite character outfits. Here at House of Brandt we are having to work, so no fun dressing up for us this year, boohoo. Instead I am sneaking a peek at medieval manuscripts online :)
Did you know you could view lots of manuscripts and the archives with the British Library? Do you fancy learning about cooking, how people lived, the naughty things they got up to or the pious way they repented? Well you can, by having a browse at https://www.bl.uk/subjects/manuscripts-and-archives. Follow their website and find yourself immersed in history, see how similar we are now to those lives of the middle ages...
Manuscripts and archives Manuscripts and archives and related material of outstanding importance for all periods, countries and disciplines
Another great training session, this time joined by some new faces and old friends. Whilst they were playing with their weapons, we were in the kitchen cooking up medieval recipes for the chaps to try after. The meat pies seem to have been a hit with the doughnuts to follow.
House of Brandt is on the ramble!
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/houseofbrandt
Held in the grounds of Herstmonceux Castle this event helps local charity, Chestnut Tree House hospice for children. A combination of a beautiful castle and grounds, that we have been very lucky to camp in as part of our reenactment season, and supporting a much needed charity.
There are potentially 1,000 families with life-limited children in Sussex. Chestnut Tree House offers support for the whole family including psychological and bereavement support, end of life and short break care and sibling support.
It currently costs over £4 million each year to provide all the care services offered by Chestnut Tree House. Families are never charged for their care and less than 6p in every pound is funded by the government, so they rely heavily on the generosity, help and support of the people of Sussex.
At Chestnut Tree House their goal is to provide the best quality of life for children, young people and their families, and to offer a total package of practical, social and spiritual support throughout each child’s life, however short it may be.
We will be walking in the night, wearing our medieval clothing and armour to raise as much as possible. So, please, if you will support us by cheering us on, sharing our page, and if possible donate!
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/houseofbrandt
January is the time of dieting and fitness apparently. See how well the Knights training is against modern day soldiers. Who will win do you think?
https://www.facebook.com/Thrillist/videos/10155427344020891/?v=10155427344020891
I'm one, which are you 😂🤕
Hangover..? or just life.-where does it hurt
It is 2020 and the first event we have confirmed for this season is the fabulous Loxwood Joust! We are there for both weekends.
Come join us in warmer days, battles, jousts and merriment at Loxwood Joust. A fabulous event over the first two weekends in August. We are looking forward to this so much 😀🎪⚔️🛡
https://loxwoodjoust.co.uk/
Loxwood Joust | Welcome To Your Heritage Loxwood Joust
Bath houses seem to have been more interesting in the 15th Cent!
Article written by Project 1400
Scene of a Bathhouse
Master of Anthony of Burgundy
This miniature illumination of a bathhouse scene is a conflation of two passages from Book IX of Facta et dicta memorabilia (Memorable Deeds and Sayings) by the first-century Roman author, Valerius Maximus: the baths of Sergius Orata, and the leisure of Hannibal’s troops at Capua. Valerius Maximus presented both stories as examples of the vices of greed and luxury. Sergius Orata was a Roman engineer who profited from his invention of thermal baths and reveled in his wealth. Hannibal’s troops engaged in excessive eating, drinking, and fornication with prostitutes and thus became weak and lax. The combination of the two narratives appears to be a medieval invention and appears in at least four 15th-century manuscripts from the Burgundian Netherlands and England. Anthony of Burgundy, the illegitimate son of Phillip the Good (duke of Burgundy as Philip III), commissioned this lavish manuscript from a prestigious Flemish painter known as the Master of Anthony of Burgundy.
Who we are
Welcome to the House of Brandt. We are re-enactors for the War of the Roses period and aim to show a German family in Mediaeval England. We can be found at events around the South East of England alongside Company of The Phoenix and other re-enactors. Come visit our page, see us at events and enjoy life in the 1450’s.