THE clash of steel, roars of battle and the thunderous cries of charging (hobby horse) knights will echo around Mont Orgueil this half-term as the ancient castle steps back into the Middle Ages.
Jersey Heritage’s family-themed event Medieval Revels (or ‘Lé Rêvillon du Mouoyen Âge’ in Jèrriais) will be taking over Gorey’s castle from Monday 25 to Thursday 28 May, with four days of live combat displays, music and hands-on activities designed to transport Islanders back to the 13th century.
Among the attractions will be twice-daily battle re-enactments featuring knights in armour storming the battlements, alongside medieval musicians, cooks, scribes and physicians.
Nicola Lucas, Jersey Heritage’s community events curator, said that those who enter the Castle’s walls can expect to be “transported back to the 13th century to soak up a bustling medieval atmosphere”.
Visitors will be able to try activities including hobby horse jousting, brass rubbing and Bayeux Tapestry stitching, as well as a “pilgrimage trail” hunting for mythical beasts hidden around the castle grounds.
Ms Lucas added: “Our expert re-enactors, who have performed across Europe and the UK, will showcase the skills, tactics and spectacle of medieval combat. There will also be a medieval physician, who will reveal the cures, remedies and superstitions of the time, and a medieval cook, who will share insights into historic food preparation and life in the castle kitchens. A medieval scribe will show Islanders the calligraphy of the time, and there will be plenty of other activity to keep families busy throughout their visit.”
The four-day event, which is sponsored by Ogier, is open 10am to 4pm daily.
