8th Medieval Whitsuntide camp
Saturday to Tuesday Whit weekend Saturday 24TH May to Tuesday 27th May 2008
(you can set up on Friday if you want)
Don't forget to join the WhitCamp Yahoo group
Once again the basic premise is to come along, relax and practice medieval skills away from the public and most 21st Century influences.
In previous years, we've made a springold (weapon of mass destruction), pottery including the inertia wheel, baked bread in a medieval style bread oven, basketware, cooked, told stories, gone on a pilgrimage (walk) , dyed wool, learnt to tablet weave, played strange games (dogpile ) etc.
Plans for this year
As ever lots of basketry, pottery, dyeing, spinning, tablet weaving, rides in the dog cart, Small Ale
Bonfire kiln can be made if anyone wants to do one.
Potters wheel, inertia style use as and when you like.
Cheese making, again !
Basic equipment- Steel bowls, perforated spoon, muslin clothes, straw mats, thermometer (if you must !)
Build a big bread oven.
Archery, bow making and fletching
A five mile (or thereabouts) walk in kit, with picnic SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
Following the Lazars knights trail
And anything else you feel like doing, this is YOUR event so make it what you want. Any suggestions welcome
Facilities.
16 acres of mainly grassland, period style tentage in the camp field, plastic tents can go elsewhere. Evening story telling, ramblings, shadow puppetry and so on are particularly good so please try to stay over
Piped modern water to field.
Food storage choice of earth & hay fridge or modern fridge.
Earth latrine
Reasonable selection of cooking pots etc depending on numbers, but please bring your own personal eating and drinking ware and try to keep modern containers to a minimum and hidden
Firewood and fire please take your turn to collect wood for the fire it needs to be kept going 24 hours a day.
Children very welcome
Cost £2.50 per person/day for fire wood
Bring your own food, loo roll and craft items.
We have willow and clay if you don't want to bring your own, and would expect a contribution to the cost of these if used.
Absolutely no smoking on site.
This is open to novice campers/re-enactors as well, so if you have any worries do contact use with queries, requests for help, requests to borrow gear etc etc We will do what we can to help you if you need help! Keep scrolling down for further info.
Contacts
Melanie Wilson and Gareth King
01509 812806 (evening well sometimes)
0116 260 4442 (day)
07711 171 063 (mobile)
MelanieWilson@dragonflight.co.uk or Gareth@garethking.me.uk
If you need a map please email us
Things you might need and guidelines
This is aimed at the first timer, if anyone else can think of things let me know please !
Keep checking back for more up to date info !
CLOTHING
We are not looking for super authenticity here but obviously modern clothing and shoes are not either, so a basic kit guide......
We are looking for a 13th C peasant look. So no velvets and jewels required.
We have some kit that can be borrowed so please ask on the list.
Women
I suggest 2 basic T shaped dresses one in linen (underdress) one in wool (overdress) If you add arm slits it does give you more variations. Pattern off www.walpurgis.co.uk
Head covering , the Bag style is probably the easiest I will try & put a pattern up
Shoes, your basic turn shoe, these are quite easy to make see Marc Carlson's
Footwear of the Middle ages pages for patterns.
But I also sell them on www.turnshoes.co.uk These are the cheapest I know of and for Whit participants I'll offer £3 of every pair ordered. Other suppliers can be found off Marc's pages
Belt plain leather or tablet woven. Modern buckles are OK, but if you want a medieval one there are plenty on www.ebay.com medieval suppliers including www.pastclass.co.uk. Belts were narrow and hung down a long way
A pouch is useful on your belt
Men
I suggest 2 basic T shaped tunics one in linen (undertunic) one in wool (overtunic) If you add arm slits it does give you more variations. Female pattern off www.walpurgis.co.uk which can be adapted or more complex ideas from extant tunics
Hose or trousers, single leg hose is correct there is a pattern in the How to section or basic trousers, either choice should be wool.
Braies these are short volumous things and essential with single leg hose Andy has a good pattern on his site and lots of other info too.
Coif the babies bonnet type thing in linen, essential headgear !
Shoes, your basic turn shoe, these are quite easy to make see Marc Carlson's
Footwear of the Middle ages pages for patterns.
But I also sell them on www.turnshoes.co.uk These are the cheapest I know of and for Whit participants I'll offer £3 of every pair ordered other suppliers off Marc's pages.
Belt plain leather or tablet woven. Modern buckles are OK, but if you want a medieval one there are plenty on www.ebay.com medieval suppliers including www.pastclass.co.uk. Belts were narrow and hung down
A pouch is useful on your belt
Kids
A smaller version of the above except young girls need not cover their heads.
Other useful clothing items
Cloak or blanket for the early morning or night. A poncho style works well for kids
Eating and cooking equipment
Wooden bowls and plates. These can be found cheap at car boots and charity shops
Drinking vessel pot, wood, horn Pot Shop in Lincoln have good ones especially in their reject basket !
Spoons wooden or horn
Knife I use bone handled palette knives ground down to be pointed about 20p from charity shops.
Jugs etc for drinks
Lots of linen bags to put you food supplies in also useful to put round bottles (but please avoid bottles if at all possible) etc
If you have any cauldrons etc please bring them !
Make a cooler, there is an electric fridge, but it can get a bind walking there every few minutes, alternatives are a hay box cooler or a sand evaporation unit.
A smaller version of the above can be used for making yogurt
Some form of lighting for the evening, we don't use it much but it might be handy, this means period sources. Be careful of candles etc around tents.
Food
Don't bring:
Potatoes, sweetcorn, tomatoes, exotic fruit like bananas oranges etc, sliced bread, sugar (use honey), tea, coffee
Cooking and food ideas
Stews, porridge, pancakes, bread, eggs dishes, cold meats, cheese, pasties. Butter, honey, chutneys
Other things you might need
Sun cream. You'll be out all day and if you are not used to it might burn particularly ladies on the back of the neck if your hair is long !
Bottled or bottled water if your stomach is sensitive.
Period games
Musical instruments
Toilet rolls (please don't expect me to provide them for everyone !)