Caldicot Medieval Encampment

Armoured knights battled for honour and glory in a full-contact tournament held at Caldicot Castle. Crowds watched as the Welsh and English armies faced off for control of the castle. Members of the Early Medieval Alliance put on their costumes and transformed the castle in Caldicot into a Medieval encampment between the period of 1100 and 1400.

People explored the encampment and experienced how people lived and worked in the past. There were opportunities to learn about Medieval arms such as bows and the earliest gunpowder weaponry.

Blaeddau du – the Viking reenactment group attended the two day event.

Mike Day from Caldicot (pictured with Adele Parfitt from Sudbrook) said: “I can remember being here in 1996 and it is good to see so many here and that it is still going strong.”

Caldicot Castle (Welsh: Castell Cil-y-coed) is an extensive stone medieval castle in the town of Caldicot, Monmouthshire, in southeast Wales, built near the site of Harold Godwinson’s former Saxon castle by the Norman earls of Hereford from about 1100. The castle became a Grade I listed building on 10 June 1953. Mike Booth General Manager of Caldicot Castle said: “It is great to welcome the Early Medieval Society back to the castle. If you have ever wondered what a clash of swords sound like, then this is the best place to be. The sun shone on the castle, bringing hundreds of families to the event.”

Ian and Beryl Furey-King from Bristol have been engaged in reenactments for over 18 years and they also partake in Napoleonic, Victorian and WWII events and they also volunteer at the SS Great Britain.

Mr Furey-King said: “This was a wonderful day, we enjoyed smashing weather and the company of other members of reenactment groups and the public.”

Megan Smith, 4, with her mother Louisa from Magor are photographed grinding corn. Megan said: “I am having fun making toast.”

Monika Kudaseva, 23, from Newport (originally from Lithuania) said: “The weather was not the best at first but I was still happy to go out on a knight like this.” Pictured with Monika is Clive Bishop a member of The Knights and Freemen.