Events 2007
Last year's diary
This list is based on information from the society newsletter and the society email list. Some small events handled at local group level will be missing as are details of visits to schools.
Sat 3 - Sun 4 February:
Combat training officers' meeting (Members Only)
Trainers' meeting in Manchester. An opportunity for combat trainers to meet in order to discuss standards of training throughout the society and to ensure that their own training skills are up to scratch. This helps to maintain a consistent high standard at group level training sessions. (The main society training weekend for all combatants is in March)
Sat 17 - Sun 18 March:
Training Weekend, Nottinghamshire (Members Only)
Please note change of date
Combat and living history training weekend.
An important event in the society calendar. Large scale training events like this allow us to maintain standards across the society.
Sun 8 - Mon 9 April:
Lincoln Castle (Medium Event)
Lincoln in 942AD: Following the death of Olaf of Dublin, Edmund the Aethling leads an army of Anglo Danes to retake the five boroughs from Olaf's Irish Norse and Norwegians.The show is open from 11am to 5pm on Sunday, and 10am to 5pm on Monday.
Sat 21 April:
Shaw, Oldham (Small Event)
Living history and combat demonstrations at St George's Day Family Fun Day sponsored by Oldham MBC. Royton & Crompton School, Blackshaw Lane, Shaw, Oldham OL2 6NT. Open from 1pm to 5pm.
Sat 21 - Sun 22 April:
Cressing Temple (Small Event)
Cressing Temple Barns, Cressing Temple , Essex. This is a multi-period event organised by Essex County Council. Other societies attending include the Medieval Seige Society and the Napoleonic era 95th Rifles. Living history and two combat displays on each day.
Sun 22 April:
Bishops Wood Centre (Small Event)
11.0am to 3.00pm. Viking traders, combat displays, and living history featuring leatherwork, weaving, spinning, shoe making, fire lighting, coin making, and more, at the Saxon Hall, Bishops Wood Centre, Crossway Green, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire. DY13 9SE.
The Saxon Hall is a reconstructed longhouse located within a 39-hectare site which includes 17 hectares of ancient woodland and a field of 11 hectares which was planted to re-create mixed broadleaf woodland, meadows and other habitats.
Sat 28 April:
Ely Eel Day (Small Event)
Living history encampment and small combat display at the world famous Ely Eel Day. If you've never seen a dancing eel or eaten an eel pie this would be an eely good day to do it. The show is open from 12pm to 3pm. Jubilee Gardens, Ely, Cambridgeshire.
Sat 28 April:
Society Banquet (Members Only)
Society Banquet, Nottinghamshire. Members only event with society awards and some serious partying.
Sat 5 May:
Strathpeffer (Medium Event)
Living history, crafts, and combat at Strathpeffer Pavilion in the Victorian spa town of Strathpeffer, about 20 miles north of Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland. This is part of the 2007 Scottish Archaeology Fair: A day of talks, events, and hands on interactive fun for all ages exploring the archaeology and history of Scotland and the Highlands, sponsored by the Council for Scottish Archaeology. Entry is free.
Sun 6 May:
Bishops Wood Centre (Small Event)
11.0am to 3.00pm. Another outing to Bishops Wood for some more combat displays and living history at the Saxon Hall, Bishops Wood Centre, Crossway Green, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire. DY13 9SE.
The Vikings are regular visitors to this site which features a reconstructed longhouse located within a 39-hectare site including 17 hectares of ancient woodland and a field of 11 hectares which was planted to re-create mixed broadleaf woodland, meadows and other habitats.
Sun 6 - Mon 7 May: Cancelled
Luton (Major Event)
This event has been cancelled.
Sat 19 May:
Peterborough (Small Event)
An event in Peterborough city centre featuring living history, crafts, and combat as part of a living history day organised by the local history society.
Sat 19 May:
Kinlochewe, Wester Ross (Small Event)
Cooking, crafts and weapons demonstrations at an event for Scottish Natural Heritage.Sat 19 May:
Kettering (Small Event)
Small show at Kettering museum.
Sat 19 - Sun 20 May:
Sarehole Mill (Small Event)
Living history and combat demonstration at the Tolkien Weekend, Sarehole Recreation Ground by Sarehole Mill, Birmingham. A family event with free entry celebrating 70 years of Hobbiton, with hobbit tales, people wandering round in silly costumes, craft stalls, dramatisations, historical re-enactments, have a go archery, one of the last two working water mills in Birmingham, guided walks, and even elvish lessons!
Sat 19 - Sun 20 May:
Training Weekend, Italy (Members Only)
Training weekend at Angera, Lombardie, Italia. Training for both combat and authenticity, organised primarily by and for Italian members of the society. Several British training officers will be flying out to help with training and assessment.
Sun 27 - Mon 28 May:
Tynemouth Priory (Major Event)
A Bank Holiday show featuring Living history and combat in the grounds of Tynemouth Priory. The castle and priory is located at the end of Tynemouth high street on a headland right at the entrance to the river Tyne. Tynemouth is rich in Viking history, and was raided in the year 800 and again in 875 when the monastery sponsored by the Kings of Northumbria was destroyed. Event open from 10am to 5pm each day.
Sun 3 June:
Bexley, Kent (Small Event)
Living history and combat displays at the Erith Riverside Festival, Bexley, Kent. Open from 10am to 5pm.
Thu 7 - Sun 10 June:
Karmøy Viking Festival (Medium Event)
Once again we are guests of the Karmøy Viking Festival in Norway. The festival , mainly based at the reconstructed Viking farm on the island of Bukkøy near the Nordvegen history centre at Avaldsnes, attracts Viking re-enactors from across Europe. Photos from some of our previous visits can be found in our Karmøy 2002 and Karmøy 2005 galleries.
Sat 9 - Sun 10 June:
Corfe Castle (Medium Event)
Corfe Castle, Dorset. Owned by the National Trust, Corfe Castle is one of the most evocative ruined castles in England with over 1,000 years of turbulent history. Join us for aseige and battles together with crafts and living history demonstrations in a large palisaded encampment.
Sat 9 - Sun 10 June:
Hertford Castle (Small Event)
A small display by The Vikings as part of a larger Medieval event.
Sat 16 June:
Old Basing (Small Event)
Old Basing Parish Carnival, Hampshire. Combat, living history, and a short parade through the village.
Sat 16 June:
Sturminster Newton (Small Event)
Living history encampment and two 30-minute arena combat displays at The Recreation Ground, Ricketts lane, Sturminster Newton, Dorset.
Sat 23 - Sun 24 June:
Bridgham (Major Event)
Bridgham, near Norwich. A celebration of Bridgham's Viking Age history. There will be dramatic re-creation of the donation of various religious objects to Ely cathedral and of two viking Age battles which took place in the vicinity, the more famous being that of Ringmere Pit, in 1010.
Sat 30 June:
Heavener, Oklahoma, USA (Medium Event)
Viking encampment and display as a part of the Heavener Fourth of July celebration. The event will take place near Runestone State Park, site of an ancient monument with a runic inscription of uncertain origin.
Sun 1 - Sun 8 July:
Isle of Man (Major Event)
The annual Peel Viking Festival is bigger than ever, with Viking Boat races, living history displays, battles, trials by combat, strength, and ordeal, saga telling, processions, and much much more.
Sat 14 July:
Bishopshalt School, London (Small Event)
Combat and living history at a school fete for Bishopshalt School for the Performing Arts, Hillingdon, London.
Sat 14 July:
Drighlington (Small Event)
Living history all day and one or two combat displays at Drighlington family fun day.
Sat 14 - Sun 15 July:
Sutton Hoo (Small Event)
The Vikings provide a small living history display and some archery and weapons demonstrations as part of a larger multi-period event.
Sat 14 - Sun 15 July: Cancelled
Caer Alyn (Medium Event)
Due to waterlogged ground this event has been moved to Erddig Hall.
Sat 14 - Sun 15 July:
Erddig Hall (Medium Event)
Living history and battles at Erddig Hall, south of Wrexham, working alongside the National Archaeology Roadshow in association with National Archaeology Week.This is a replacement for the Caer Alyn show which has had to be re-located due to waterlogged ground . Erddig Hall, is about 7 miles from Caer Alyn.(Cavalry previously announced for Caer Alyn will not be present as the last minutes change of venue has come too late to work this into the Trust Health and Safety program)
Sat 14 - Sun 15 July:
Shugborough Hall (Small Event)
Living history and combat demonstrations at Shugborough Hall, Stafford, as part of a multi-period show featuring a variety of other societies as well as The Vikings.
Sun 15 July:
Thornaby (Small Event)
Small show at Thornaby,Teeside.
Sat 21 - Sun 22 July:
Whitby Abbey (Major Event)
Major event with combat and living history displays. More details to follow.
Sat 21 - Sun 22 July:
Old Sarum (Small Event)
Living history, weapons display, and and combat demonstrations at the English Heritage Archeology Weekend, Old Sarum near Salisbury
Sat 21 - Sun 22 July:
Archeolink, Oyne (Small Event)
Archeolink, Oyne, Scotland. Battle and living history.
Sat 28 - Sun 29 July:
Pictavia Visitor Centre (Small Event)
Pictavia Visitor Centre, Brechin, Angus, Scotland. Pictavia, set in the beautiful countryside park at Brechin Castle Centre, tells the story of Scotland's ancient Pictish tribes. Facilities include a restaurant, play area and retail outlet.
In 839 the Picts faced the northern threat of the nearly invincible Vikings and suffered a disastrous defeat. The brutalising defeat at the hands of the Vikings in 839 not only killed most of the Pictish nobility, including the King of Picts and Scots Uven Mac Angus II, his brother Bran and "numberless others", but also opened Mac Alpin's claim to the vacant Pictish throne, via his mother, who was a Pictish princess.
Wed 1 - Mon 6 August:
Gimli, Manitoba, Canada (Major Event)
This event is sponsored by the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba: a large cultural festival now in it's one hundred and eighteenth year. A fully interactive display, featuring a trading village of the year 1000, will be set up on the shore of Lake Winnipeg. Open 10am to 6pm daily with a single narrated educational program occuring at 3pm Saturday and Sunday. The show will also feature a Viking longboat and archery.
Sat 4 - Sun 5 August:
Battle Abbey (Medium Event)
Raising of the Norman and Saxon armies prior to the Battle of Hastings in October. Combat display and living history. Activities for children include have a go archery, military drill, and hobby horse racing.
Sat 4 - Sun 5 August:
Peterborough Museum (Small Event)
Living history and combat displays in the newly opened display area at Peterborough Museum in conjunction with National Archeaology week.
Sat 11 - Sun 12 August:
Kelmarsh Hall, Northhamptonshire (Medium Event)
Living History and an 11th century battle as part of a multi-period event for English Heritage featuring all periods from Romans to World War Two.
Sun 12 August:
Park Field, Dumfries (Small Event)
Borders Gathering with Living history and skirmishes.
Sat 18 - Sun 19 August:
Lanark (Major Event)
The Lanark Medieval Society presents a show featuring both Vikings and Medieval re-enactors at Lanark Racecourse, Lanark, Scotland.
Sun 26 - Mon 27 August:
Fort Nelson (Major Event)
Fort Nelson, Portsmouth, Hants. All the usual living history and crafts, battles, combat displays, archery displays and more.
Sat 1 September:
Towcester (Small Event)
An event sponsored by the local history society in Towcester, Northamptonshire.
Sat 1 - Sun 2 September:
Kelburn Country Park (Small Event)
Kelburn Country Park, Largs Scotland. Small living history display and skirmishes to set the scene for the major event next weekend.
Sat 8 - Sun 9 September:
Largs (Major Event)
Largs, Scotland. Saturday features a large skirmish on the promenade and a battle in the evening rounded out with a burning longboat and fireworks. Skirmishes, weapons displays, sagas etc. on both days.
Fri 14 - Sun 16 September:
Hanbury Steam Rally (Small Event)
Living history and combat demonstrations at Hanbury Steam Rally, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. The Vikings are one of a vast number of attractions including steam engines, classic cars, military vehicles, horticultural displays and much much more.
Sat 15 September:
Yarm, Teesside (Small Event)
Living history and combat demonstrations at Kirklevington Church, Stockton, near Yarm
Sun 23 September:
Stewards Park, Middlesbrough. (Small Event)
Living history and combat demonstrations throughout day. This show will also feature a group of Roman re-enactors. Entrance is free.
Sat 13 - Sun 14 October:
Battle Abbey (Major Event)
William invades and and does battle with Harold at the Battle of Hastings. The Viking age in England draws to a close. Pictures of previous events at this site are available in our Hastings 2003 and Hastings 2002 galleries.
Sat 20 - Sun 21 October:
Aberfoyle (Small Event)
Living history, weapons display, and two small skirmishes each day at the Aberfoyle International Mushroom Festival.
Mon 22 - Sun 28 October:
West Stow (Medium Event)
Members of the society portray 6th century Anglians in a reconstructed village built on the site of an excavated Anglo-Saxon village as part of an ongoing experimental archaeology project.
Sat 8 December:
Southend Library (Small Event)
Southend Library, Victoria Avenue, Southend on Sea, SS2 6EX
Warriors and villagers will be promoting an exhibition about the Battle of Ashingdon (Canute V. Edmund Ironside, 1016). This is one of the first events to launch a long term project. It is proposed to do a large re-enactment of the battle in 2016, in which The Vikings will be involved. It s planned to have smaller events in the run up to it, all to heighten the profile locally. The battle site is about 6 miles from Southend.