Tewkesbury Medieval Festival 2007

7 to 8 July – Tewkesbury prepares for battle as the 2007 Medieval Festival heads to town, in what promises to be an exciting weekend of fun for all the family.

The annual Tewkesbury Medieval Festival has been taking place for more than 20 years, and this coming weekend will see enthusiasts travelling from all over Europe and beyond to take part in the medieval spectacular.

Handsome knights will be laying their lives down for their kings, battling it out for the crown of England, whilst their families live in medieval encampments for the weekend – working, eating and sleeping just as they would have done during the legendary Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471.

You can also expect to see the festival’s time-travelling residents entertaining the crowds – complete with a skilful jester, mystifying audiences with magical tricks, and a minstrel, keeping crowds entertained to earn an honest penny. The organisers promise there may even be a dragon or two, and other mysterious and ferocious creatures lurking nearby.

Head to Tewkesbury this weekend and you will also find live music, combat displays and demonstrations of ancient crafts, as well as an array of stalls selling everything from suits of armour to bags of sweets.

A beer tent will help everyone get in the festival spirit with real ales and, if you want to have an authentic taste of the past, mead.

The Tewkesbury Medieval Festival 2007 takes place on the site of the original Battle of Tewkesbury of 4 May 1471, when the Houses of York and Lancaster met in a bloody battle which left thousands of brave men, including Edward Prince of Wales, dead and put Edward IV firmly on the throne of England.

The festival runs from 11am to 6pm on the Saturday and Sunday, and is followed by a host of events in the historic town, including the trial and beheading of a number of captured Lancastrians.

The day’s events finish with a service of Compline in Tewkesbury Abbey, as would have been heard in the 15th century.

Event: Tewkesbury Medieval Festival 2007
Venue: Tewkesbury town centre and Tewkesbury Abbey
Date: Saturday 7 July and Sunday 8 July
Times: From 11am to 6pm on both days
Tickets: Entrance to the festival is free. Parking has been arranged in the field immediately behind the Gupshill Manor a short distance up the A38

James Fryer
6 July 2007