Official newsletter of the Principality of Insulae Draconis
AS LIX, Volume 31, Issue 09, September 2024
Table of contents
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Unto Our Beloved Insulae Draconis do Prince Alexander and Princess Agnes send Greetings and Wishes for Prosperity and Health;
The Wheel turns, and as the summer breaks into autumn, so too change the custodians of the Celestial thrones of Insulae Draconis. We, your new Princes, salute all those whom these letters may find. Alexander stands strong in Depedene Under Wychwood, casting His eye across the Eastern Island, and Agnes, in the halls of Dun In Mara, guards the lands in the West. Together, We vow to preserve and cultivate these all Our islands, great and small, set apart but never truly separated by the sea.
We have Priorities for Our Reign that We wish to share with you.
Firstly, it is important to Us that Our Principality is welcoming and accommodating of Families, no matter what form they take. Children are very welcome in Our Courts, and any caring duties should always come first. If your family does not participate in the Principality’s activities, please make sure to spend time with them in the mundane life and show them how important they are to you. Please also remember that you yourself are important, and take time to yourself when you need it. The Principality is not going anywhere.
In Our Presence, please conduct yourself in a manner that is comfortable to you while still being respectful. Please only rise or kneel if you are comfortably able to do so. If you are Called Forth and would rather not do so by yourself, please ask a Friend to escort you.
We have advised Our outgoing and incoming Seneschals that We wish to see work continue on the Principality Complaints Process and expect a working draft during Our Reign. We expect everyone in Our Principality to act according to the Code of Conduct set out by the Kingdom and by the Society at large, and We remind everyone to take care of their words and actions in order to not create misunderstandings or fear. If We hear or witness behaviour that is contrary to these Our values, We will step in and take action as much as is within our powers.
It is further important to Us that Processes and Customs attached to the Reign of the Coronets as well as those of Our Officers are transparent as much as possible without compromising Confidence. Therefore We will communicate with all of you a lot and We invite questions and interactions should you wish for further information on something.
In the short two weeks since Our ascension to the Thrones of the Principality, we have already seen many of Our people at two events, in Dun In Mara and in Pont Alarch. We look forward to seeing many more in the coming months. Her Highness is particularly interested in visiting small local events and practices, so please feel free to send Us an invite, should you have such things planned.
In Service to Their Draconic Majesties, the Kingdom, and the Principality,
Alexander & Agnes
From the Seneschal
Greetings Insulae Draconis,
The first thing I want to do in my premier letter to the Populace, is to thank His Lordship Guy de Dinan for his excellent work in the Office of Principality Seneschal. He has done a fabulous job, and I hope I can live up to the standard he set. He has put a huge amount of work into many policies important to the Principality, not the least of which is the Updated Safeguarding Policy that is nearly ready to make official.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Their Highnesses, Prince Alexander of Derlington and Princess Agnes Boncuer, I look forward to working with them both moving forward.
I am excited to work with all of the Principality Officers, and to support them in any way I can. Including the Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion Team.
I will do my best to make sure our fair Principality prospers and that we grow in numbers and in Joy.
Yours in Service,
Baron Meliton
Seneschal, Insulae Draconis
Changes in Insurance Requirements
From the CIC Board
Greetings, good Cousins, from the Incoming and Outgoing Chair of the CIC Board.
We have a few announcements to make and a few details to go through, and we felt this changeover period was a good time to do so. It’s good news, so bear with us!
First, we would like to take a brief moment to explain to some of our newer members what the CIC is and how it affects our game. In order for SCA members in the UK and Ireland to continue playing we have various legal responsibilities to meet, including registration with various national official entities and obtaining insurance for our members. To represent us in this outward facing, mundane required world we have the CIC, our EXECUTIVE layer. Within our daily lives playing as SCA members we are represented by our OPERATIONAL leaders, our Seneschal, Coronet and the officer team.
The CIC keeps track of membership, negotiates our insurance and maintains whatever records are required for that purpose. The CIC board would be the conduit through which our members are represented in law, should that arise. As such we are not particularly visible in the day to day lives of our members.
Our most visible function, - insurance procurement and maintenance - has been much discussed over the past year, as there were various elements that were an admin headache for everyone involved. This was necessary because we were obliged to work with two different insurance models, one in Ireland and the other in the UK. We want to take time now to thank everyone for working so well over the last year to ensure we continued to be compliant.
We are very pleased to announce that our insurance is now with one insurance company for the UK and Ireland instead of with two as before. This means that we
no longer need to ask about shotgun licence information,
that the Irish Shires and Barony are covered for equestrian activities and,
most gratifyingly, we do not need to raise our membership fee this year.
Event stewards do not need to send lists of members attending an event before an event, but will need the list of attendees that is included in the normal event steward report that gets sent to the Insulae Draconis Sensechal after the event. A photograph of the sign in sheet with signatures is sufficient.
As part of this after event report we must receive the membership number of everyone, including from other membership systems elsewhere in the KIngdom and the known world,
The “Waiver” sheet will no longer be used, just sign in sheets.
HOWEVER, insurance covers people who have been paid for through Membermojo, which means new people who are not members will need to be set up in the system prior to an event, so notification of those people still should be sent in advance of an event so they are temporarily at least added to the system. The surcharge for non members is on a per day basis, so costs quickly mount up.
The biggest change is that we need, as an organisation, to set priority on purchasing membership as soon as possible once someone starts participating, to ensure smooth and clean insurance cover for everyone. That includes the person themselves, the staff at events they go to, and the officers of Shires, Barony and lands of Insulae Draconis. The idea of a new member surcharge doesn’t get that person registered with membermojo, which they need to be. Really this is coming down to having to organisationally recognise that a new person would be able to attend one event as a trial but to be properly, legally covered they must be registered as a member to continue after that. If Shires wish to subsidise or fund new member memberships this is fine.
Everyone who has any sort of responsibility at demos, events and so one must be a member to properly ensure they are covered, but also to cover them, for example, with dealing with a member of the public at a demo handling equipment as so on.
Insurance is a requirement in our modern lives, and we cannot ask volunteers running events and practices to accept liability on an ongoing basis for other people.
Magistra Ysabella-Maria de San Lazaro, OP
Outgoing Chair
THL Órlaith Chaomhánach
Incoming Chair
Visit to Knaresborough
By Amy of Osgoldcross
Visit to the Shrine of our lady of the Craggs, Knaresborough
We arranged a visit with the charity that owns and cares for the shrine on Saturday 6th July, they are not normally open on a Saturday, but they agreed to open specially for our visit. The site is up the side of a cliff In Knaresborough, down a narrow road. During bad weather the path is dangerous and therefore closed, we were very relieved to have a pleasant day (I would have considered it rather warm! But I get warm easily…)
We met at the waterside carpark for 10am, with a quick trip to the public loos (and café to grab a sarnie/coffee) nearby we were ready to wander down the road to the shrine.
The first written record of this place is from 1408 when a master mason was given permission to build and carve the shrine. There’s a lovely story that he asked to do this as his son was saved from being crushed to death in the quarry by what he perceived as a divine miracle.
One of the site keepers, Julie, gave us a very informative lecture, I was surprised to find they suspect the site is much older than this as there is what is thought to be a carved Janus head behind the door.
There was much admiration of the acoustics of the small chapel space, horror at the original (almost vertical) stairs in the cliff and signing of the visitors’ book. The site did not charge us for this visit, and we made a small donation instead of a fee.
We left an ID populace badge as tribute, and Alessandra left an Icon that belonged to their grandmother at the shrine.
We have been invited to come back any time and the lady who hosted us is quite interested in Latin (which I believe she is fluent in) so we may have a new friend!
After the visit we bumbled back along towards the carpark, visiting the antiques/book shop and heading to the café or car park to eat lunch. After lunch I was quite tired, but the more enduring folk made the trek to the top of the cliff where I believe they had a nice visit with the castle and a craft market.
We hope to revisit the site, and possibly lend some aid to their gardening and restoration efforts in the future. Considerations must be made to the facilities and accessibility though as the site has some difficult terrain.
A total of 8 people attended the visit, and two corgis of course!
Pictures below courtesy of Master Yannick, with the knight by myself,
The feast for Ormthing is done, and having that last major SCA obligation for the year out of the way seems to have broken the dam on getting some writing up of stuff done too. Well, that, and being on a ferry for four hours on the way back with little enough to do; I was on the verge of feeling bored for a few minutes there.
The idea for Ormthing (a 4-5 day camping event at Caldicot Castle in South Wales) was to produce a Norman feast. Norman is not one of the cuisines from which I often cook, so a little research was in order first. Magnifica Magdelena Grace Vane helped with that, and indeed would have been my co-cook for the event had circumstances of modern life not gotten in her way. It would appear that there’s very little out there about Norman food, though. There’s more known about WHAT was eaten than there is about early Irish food, for example, but there aren’t recipes or many coherent accounts. What’s there is not massively different from the 14th-15th century English and French food I think of as “generic medieval”, though it’s argued in some places to be simpler, and in some to have more in the way of spices and bold tastes - the latter coming from Norman contact with the Arabic world via Sicily. The best guess at a feast menu would therefore be roast meats in plenty, bread, some strong tasting sauces, and - in August - quite a lot of fruit. I also guessed that fritters of some kind would have been available. So with these parameters, I went about constructing a three course feast.
Of course, account had to be taken of the actual circumstance of the feast (evening, after a day in which there were already two tournaments, including the Principality Coronet Tourney, and would be a third to follow, in the castle courtyard by torchlight) and the diners. So I went for having the “main food” of the feast in the first course, with stronger tastes and sweeter things to follow. I reckoned that five roast meats per course with fish to vary would be too much - and indeed, in the unavilability of things like swan, heron, and porpoise - it might be difficult enough to make it to fifteen different meats.
So the initial plan was:
Course the First:
Roast Beast (Venison or Beef)
Frumenty
Chicken Pottage
Vegetables
Course the Second:
Fish in Aspic
Chicken on Sops
White Fish in a Fruit Sauce
Vegetables
Course the Third:
Roast Duck
Baked Orchard Fruit
Dates in Compost
Cream & Honey
Fritters
… with bread for all courses.
This did not entirely survive contact with reality. I have done fish in aspic before - indeed, I once did a beautifully clear aspic with a whole trout suspended in it - and nobody, including myself, would actually touch the thing. Aspic is one of those things which sound weird, and turn out to look alien. So I decided not to do that, and replaced that with little dishes of anchovies, which I reckoned would convey the strong taste, and not offend as many people. I was able to get pickled mussels as well, so they were added in.
The vegetables for the first course were buttered turnips and creamed leeks, and for the second, stewed cabbage and a bean pottage.
Master Richard of Salesberie was able to source excellent meat for me, about two-thirds venison and one-third beef. It did, however, arrive from the farm shop already diced, so the idea of roasting it went by the wayside. Instead, I decided to brown it in a pan, and then bake it “in gobbets”.
Due to various happenings of availability and illness, I wasn’t able to have any of my usual kitchen crew along, but there were volunteers from the big island: Lady Julian ferch Luned, Lady Milada von Schnecken, The Honourable Lady Amphelise de Wodeham, and Halvar Darylson, all good cooks in the their own right. We had a relaxed kitchen with no particular rush, and indeed we were able to take breaks to go see bits of the tourneys, check in on family, and so forth. Early in the day, I saw my lady, Master Agnes Boncuer, have her champion Master Alexander of Derlington take the Coronet for her, which made the high table rather more familiar in terms of tastes and needs.
The kitchen in Caldicot is a modern one, situated just off the banquet hall. It’s not big, and with five people in there, it was full. It also came without pots and pans, and there were no trays that would fit the steam oven. We knew about the pots in advance, so Amphelise - who accompanied me shopping, doing the driving and money-handling - and I picked up some the day before. We discovered the lack of suitable trays about three hours before serving, but the baked fruit went into a (slow) gas oven, and disposable roasting trays were procured at speed from the village - by whom I don’t know, but I’m very grateful to them! The gas hob and the steam oven were excellent, though, and there was a dishwasher in a separate room.
The menu looks somewhat deceptively simple; there was a LOT of peeling and chopping of fruit and vegetables. We were able to do quite a lot of that during the day and get things going, so we weren’t rushed, but I’m taking note of that for future reference, and might consider either some degree of prepping stuff the day before, or buying pre-chopped ingredients where possible.
We had people eating in three places - in the banqueting hall, in a smaller hall down a corridor and some stairs, and then more outside (and down a steep stairs), under a sunshade in the courtyard. This meant that service pretty much had to be to the tables, rather than my usual preference for a buffet. And we hadn’t suitable serving dishes for most of what was there, so it was largely a matter of sending out the pots. Master Robert of Canterbury, Lord Trygg of Eplaheimr, Dominic of Flintheath, Lord Etienne the Younger, Kit of Flintheath, Taliesin Denet, and Sidney of Flintheath did excellent work, coping admirably with heavy loads and much stair-climbing.
Everything seemed to be well received, in general. I heard good things about the venison, the turnips, the chicken pottage, the pickled mussels, the chicken on sops, the sweet-and-sour fruit sauce for the fish (but not necessarily the fish itself, I noted), the duck, the orchard fruits, and the fritters. By the time of the duck and the fritters, the torchlight pas d’armes was under way, so I was able to wander round with the dishes and hand them out to the crowd, which is one of my very favourite things to do. We had more than was necessary of pretty much everything after the first course, so if I’m doing something like this again, I’d cut back on the quantities in the second and third courses.
Almost all the feedback I’ve had was good (with a couple of comments on the blandness of some dishes, but that’s countered by others saying they were grateful for the edibility of those). Overall, I’m happy with how things went, considering the limitations of the kitchen and the service - there are things I’d do differently if I’m cooking there again, but that’s always the case for the first use of a kitchen. I’ll write up a document for the next person using it, and I can at least say that nobody went hungry!
Court Reports
This is a court report for Ormþing LIX - Couronne de Caldicot. Ormþing
LIX - Couronne de Caldicot was organised by Insulae Draconis.
Insulae Draconis court was held by Alexander and Agnes.
This court report is for court on 18 Aug 2024, it’s identified as
Sunday afternoon court.
Their Highnesses were pleased to hear the results of various
competitions and invest the winners as the new Insulae Draconis
Protectors, to wit:
Armoured Protector - Duke Vitus
Rapier Protector - Doña Gwenneth
Archery Protector - Kit of Flintheath
A&S Protector - Master Richard of Salesberie
Additionally, two other retinue positions were filled:
Equus Bellator - Fearless Fergus quondam Fergus Nullae Lepidopterae
Armoured Champion - Lord Etienne the Younger
Their Highness were pleased to recognise several members of the court.
Kit of Flintheath received good counsel, and a basket hilt made by His Highness
Sydney and Taliesen, both of Flintheath, likewise received good
counsel and small tokens.
Viscount Robert of Canterbury and Viscountess Delia of Ely were
granted leave to make their farewells, as they are soon to depart the
Isles.
This is a court report for Hastilude Eboracum. Hastilude Eboracum was
organised by Pontalarch.
Insulae Draconis court was held by Alexander of Derlington and Agnes Boncuer.
This court report is for court on 1 Sept 2024, it’s identified as
Sunday Lunchtime Court.
Court report filed by: Court Herald, Amy of Osgoldcross
Their highnesses thanked the organisers and attendees of the event.
They thanked the first-time Herald and welcomed the four new-comers to
the SCA with a bead token, taken from the favour first presented to
His Highness when her highness first asked him to fight for him in
2014.
The lady Alessandra di Riario dAretino was invited to report on the
schedule for the rest of the day, she was thanked by their highnesses
for organising the event and also presented with a bead token.
His highness addressed the assembled speaking on his hope for the year
ahead, and of his desire to double and support the number of heavy
fighters in our midst. He requested the populace speak with him after
court and offer their words of wisdom in how we may achieve this
endeavour.
With no further business the court was drawn to a close.
Boast for Lord Maredudd and Juliana
By Viscountess Euphrosyne Eirenikina
This boast was performed, in Japanese, for Lord Maredudd ap Gwylim (aka Moritoko-Dono) and his consort lady Juliana at the Coronet Tournament in August 2024, at Ormthing, by Viscountess Euphrosyne.
Hikae Hikae
waga-nawa, Moritoko Yu, Rei Omonjiru Samurai Nari.
Kon-nichi waga Shin-ai naru Tsuma Juliana no tame ni kenzan itashita
Kan wo mini matou koto koso waga hokori de aru.
Idai naru meiyo wo teni suru tameni mina kokoni atsumatta.
Ikusa-jya! Ikusa-jya!
waga kokoro Bushi no michi koko ni shimessu toki zo!!!!!
English Translation
My name is Moritoko.
Samurai who has most respect and courage. I fight for Juliana who gives me power and love.
To wear the coronet is a great honor.
A great honor is to advance the claim of another.
Today, let everyone fight with honor, Then, let everyone fight with honor!
Let us fight!!!!
Arts & Sciences Protector display
By Viscountess Euphrosyne Eirenikina
The Arts & Sciences Protector display took place at the Ormthing in August. It was run by Viscountess Euphrosyne as the former A&S Protector.
There were 9 displays from very skilled A&S competitors.
3 pieces of hand woven cloth by Viscountess Eibhlin Ni Ghallchobair
Handmade Coconut Cup and Coconut Sipping Cup by Viscount Duncan Forbes
Hand Painted Pottery Collections by Lord Maredudd ap Gwylim
Illustration for poem “A Winter’s Tale” by Master Richard Of Salesberie
Mid 15th century Burgundian Gown by Katherine Of Okynfirth
Salt cured and hot smoked leg of Lamb by Frú Aðísla Arnulfsdóttir
Writ for Order of Chivalry on French Parchment by Mistress Arianhwy wen
Two Styles of medieval Rosary by Mistress Catlin le Mareschale
Two forms of decorative headband by Hannah Zamoyska of Lancaster
All of the displays were breathtakingly beautiful and gathered so much attention from the populace.
I heard so many “Wow” and “Ahhhh So beautiful” from all over.
This display took the form of voting from populace and each person voted on only one display of their choice.
Result came in with much joy for the new A&S protector and bright future of Insulae Draconis.
Mater Richard of Salesberie took 1st place and became a new A&S protector to serve our mighty Highnesses.
His well known talent and skills will spread all over the isles and help and support all the amazing artisans to shine more than ever. And I will assure this will bring their Highnesses more joy.
And Also wanted to mention, Fru Adisla and Hannah both came in Second place from only one point short from 1st place.
I am truly grateful for all the populace’s support and understanding during my time as A&S Protector.
History with Flintheath
Originally posted 1st August 2024
Paris was first adopted as the capital of the Frankish kingdom in 508 when Clovis I, the king of the Franks, adopted it as his capital. At the time, this had no real effect since the entire government consisted of Clovis and his immediate entourage and he continued to move around the kingdom in the usual way for a king of the time, but when he chose to be buried there it gave the city some lasting symbolic weight.
There had already been a settlement on the site of Paris for some time; the Romans had founded a city there called Lutetia, named for a settlement of the native Gauls which was at least nearby if not on exactly the same site; descriptions by Julius Caesar have suggested that the original Lutetia was on what is now the Ile de la Cite in Paris, but there is no clear archeological evidence of this. The local tribe was called the Parisii, hence the name of the later city.
Clovis may have chosen Paris as his capital because it had been the home of Saint Genevieve, for whom he appears to have had a great deal of respect. She died in 502 and Clovis chose a spot beside her for his own burial. After his death, his sons divided his kingdom but retained Paris as joint property, making it an obvious candidate to be used as capital as what is now France formed.
Originally posted 15th August 2024
The church of St Mary and All Saints in Willingham dates mostly from the 1200s and early 1300s, but is built on the foundations of an earlier church on the same site. It may originally have been dedicated to St Matthew as this name is recorded in the late 1400s and early 1500s. It is especially notable today for its collection of wall paintings, which spans a period of 400 years from the mid 1200s to the 1600s and demonstrates the variety of types of wall paintings that appeared in medieval churches.
The church site was originally at the northern edge of the village, nearer the fens, and a landing spot was constructed on Willingham Lode to deliver building materials for it. The same landing point was also used for the building materials required for the bishop’s palace, which was on the site now occupied by the village cemetery behind the modern church. Anglo-Saxon settlement was mostly in the area between modern Church Street and Berrycroft and excavations in the 1990s found evidence of the early village, including a well-preserved wicker-lined well. There may also have been another centre of settlement near where the Green now is, which was also handy for the church, and over the course of the Saxon period settlement drifted north to be around the church and the fen edge.
The Saxon church was demolished to make way for the modern church and some pieces of stonework were incorporated into the walls of the chancel; they were found during restoration work and are now visible in the porch. The nave was built roughly on top of a Norman nave and a small lancet window in the west end, near the belltower, appears to have come from this older church; it is decorated with the oldest wall painting in the church: a pair of ochre paintings showing St Etheldreda and another saint dated to about 1250. Henry III visited Willingham in 1244 and it’s possible these paintings were added to the church in honour of his visit.
Originally posted 23rd August 2024
The earliest known surviving example of knitting is a cotton sock made in North Africa in about 1100-1300. While there are earlier examples of woollen socks which appear to have been knitted, it’s more likely they were made by a technique known as nalbinding, which is more like sewing than conventional knitting, though it may have been a forerunner of the technique. This may seem relatively recent, but the surviving knitted sock shows some relatively advanced techniques such as multiple colours and the combination of knit and purl stitches, implying that knitting had been around for significantly longer to allow these techniques to develop.
From the 1300s onwards, knitting spread across Europe and by the 1500s it was sufficiently important in England to warrant legislation: the Cappers Act of 1571 required everybody above the age of 6 (except “Maids, Ladies, Gentlewomen, Noble Personages, and every Lord, Knight, and Gentleman of 20 Marks Land”) to wear a knitted woolen cap made in England by a professional capper, on pain of a fine. Several of these caps survive and can be seen to have been knitted “in the round”: a type of knitting that uses four or five needles and produces a tube rather than a sheet of material. Knitting in the round also provides a smooth herringbone-patterned exterior without the need for purl stitches, since while North African knitting used purl stitches from an early date this technique appears to have been lost in Europe, only reappearing in the mid-1500s.
The spread of knitting is also visible in art; during the 1300s it became more common to show human and emotional elements in art showing the childhood of Jesus and this sometimes included the Virgin Mary knitting. The technique in several of these images is clearly recognisable and correct, suggesting that the artists at least had access to models who knew how to knit, but does not indicate how common knitting was during this period and whether it was a common activity or only one done by ladies, since either could have been applied to the Virgin Mary.
Originally posted 29th August 2024
During the Norman and early Plantagenet eras of English medieval history - the late 1000s to the mid 1200s - sea travel was vitally important to the king and his court. The King of England was also the Duke of Normandy and ruled other parts of what is now France at different times, for example Henry II’s role as Duke of Aquitaine following his marriage to its Duchess Eleanor. Accordingly, the court essentially needed a cross-channel ferry. There wasn’t often a reason England needed a navy per se during this period, but that started to change during the reigns of Richard I and John as Richard needed ships to transport him, his army, and their luggage on crusade and John started to build up a royal navy to counter an increased threat from France. Unfortunately, royal navies require a good economy and a strong central government and John’s son Henry III had neither, so this progress was rapidly lost again.
Early on, the main recurring ship is the royal snecca - a word meaning ‘snake’: an updated Viking longship which was used to carry the king between England (usually Southampton or Portsmouth) and Normandy (usually the port of Barfleur). When William the Atheling, son of Henry I, was killed in a shipwreck it was as he was leaving Barfleur, attempting to catch up to his father’s snecca in a borrowed galley, since the king did not have many of his own ships and it was customary to borrow or hire others as required. The size of the ship in question - named simply the White Ship - gives an impression of the scale of medieval galleys, as it was apparently capable of carrying several hundred passengers, a crew of fifty, and cargo. Unfortunately, all but one of the people on board that night drowned when it sank, also illustrating the dangers of sea travel in the middle ages. Many churches along coasts in the British Isles were founded as thanks for a safe passage across the sea or as a result of promises made in the middle of storms and divine helmsmen saving the heroes from the perils of the sea are a recurring device in Anglo-Saxon poetry.
Despite these dangers, land travel could be just as bad and much more difficult, so travel by sea remained common. For example, when Richard I set out on his great crusade he had a choice of routes: across land via Constantinople, or by ship from the south of France and through the Mediterranean. The land route had ended poorly for King Louis VII a generation before and both Richard and his ally Philip of France chose to travel by sea, Richard from Marseille and Philip from Genoa. Richard’s fleet had sailed from England to meet him - interrupting the trip for some plundering in Lisbon - and consisted of 170 sailing ships and 36 oared galleys: a massive number. They accompanied him to Acre on the coast of what is now northern Israel and were apparently well equipped, but were not suitable for outright naval warfare as they couldn’t be used for ramming. Allegedly, when the fleet encountered a large Muslim ship off the coast of Acre they attempted to sink it by sending a diver over with a drill to bore holes in it below the waterline.
John built on what Richard had founded and had 52 galleys in 1205, dispersed around the English coast from East Anglia to Ireland to keep watch for French invasion forces. There were several naval and amphibious battles between the French and English during this period, including what has been described as England’s first great naval victory in 1213: an attack on the French invasion fleet that all but destroyed it in its harbour at Damme. After that, the conflict escalated until the Battle of Sandwich in 1216: a unique ship-to-ship battle under sail on the high seas. Since ramming was not possible the hand-to-hand tactics were similar to those on land, taking place on the decks of the ships. However, Sandwich also allegedly saw the use of quicklime as a chemical weapon: it was thrown down in pots to blind the French soldiers and sailors. There is no record of payment for this quicklime (records of the Battle of Damme mention payments for soap to make the decks of the French ships slippery, for comparison), and some historians believe that the use of quicklime was added out of contemporary military manuals rather than reality, but all three secular accounts of the battle mention it and two also add the detail that the wind direction was such that the quicklime powder was carried away from the English fleet: a vital component of a chemical attack. Regardless, the English fleet decimated the French; one account claims that over 4,000 French soldiers and sailors were killed. Sandwich is the other claimant for the title of England’s first great naval victory.
The Writ and Record
By Nicholas de Estlecce
This edition covers the I.33 plays of Underarm vs. Lonpoint.
As I progress, some of my opinions change, so any article is only a snapshot of
my current thoughts. To counter this these descriptions can also be found at
WikiDot (http://i33.wikidot.com/start).
The Guard
Longpoint is basically holding your sword out on the same line as your arms. I.33
shows Longpoint at a variety of angles. In the description of the guards at the
start of the manuscript, Longpoint is shown perpendicular to the sloped stance,
and hence pointing down. For the plays described here, the guard is held
horizontal to the ground at shoulder height. However, to counter the expected
angle of the Underarm attack, the buckler is rotated over the sword to protect
the back of the sword hand. This demonstrates, again, I.33’s contention that no
guard is static, and should always be considering the guard your opponent is
presenting.
UNDERARM vs LONGPOINT
Plate 12
Text
Here again we resume the First Guard, or Underarm, and it is opposed with a counter called Longpoint. This is a common opposition, and the counters to this opposition, on the part of the one standing in the guard, are bindings below and above. Hence the verse: ‘When Longpoint is adopted, at once bind below and above’. But a bind above will always be more useful than one below.
Notes
Clearly though, from Underarm, the initial bind is limited to being from below.
Image 1.1
The Priest is in Underarm, the buckler level with the Scholar’s sword point. The Scholar is in horizontal Longpoint, with the buckler rotated over the top of the sword arm, to cover the back of the sword hand.
Notes
The buckler is shifted on account of the most likely line of attack from an opponent in Underarm.
Plate 13
Text
Here we will have the play of the First Guard, that is of the one who binds and the one who is bound. Hence the verse:
The one who binds and the one who is bound are contrary and irate;The one who is bound flees to the side; I seek to pursue.
Image 1.2
The Priest’s arms are both extended roughly perpendicular to his sloped body, and hence pointing downwards. The Priest’s sword extends this line, held with knuckles down. The shield hand is held slightly higher the the sword hand, and the buckler covers the sword hand, pointing out to the shield side. As per the verse above, the Scholar has clearly moved, most markedly sideways to the shield side of the Priest. As a result, the Scholar’s buckler has been rotated back across the sword arm and is now pointing to the Scholar’s shield side too. The scholar’s arms are also roughly perpendicular to his body, leaving the bucklers at the same height. However, the Scholar’s sword slopes down markedly from the Scholar’s hand, such that it it is roughly perpendicular to the Priest’s sword. They both appear bound about a third of the way from the hilt. The orientation of the Scholar’s hand is hidden, so the sword may have simply been dropped, presenting its false edge, or, more likely, rotated, to present the true edge to the bind.
Notes
To have reached this position, from the one in the first image, the Scholar has had to move substantially to his sword side. The verse implies that the movement was to escape the bind induced by the Priest, rather than moving ahead of being bound.
The Priest’s attack from Underarm would be substantially the same as that when attacking against Half-Shield, rotating his sword to bind with the false edge against the underside of the Scholar’s sword. This move can be delivered with substantial force. It would not be difficult for the Scholar to disengage his horizontal sword over the top, possibly also using momentum from the attack against him, and then dropping the sword on the other side. Simultaneously, the Scholar must step to his sword side and rotate the buckler to defend against the threat now on the opposite side to which it started.
Given the lower than horizontal position of the Priest’s sword, it seems likely that the Scholar in the initial stage, actually lowers the Longpoint to meet the incoming attack, and indeed this is shown in the next set of images. This would also provide more room for the Scholar to move and flee the bind.
In light of how this sequence finishes, it is notable how low the Scholar’s guard is during this image, leaving the head unprotected. However, raising the sword would give the Priest the advantage of leverage, and most likely the opportunity to thrust at the Scholars belly.
Image 1.3
The Scholaer is in essentially the same position as the previous image. The Priest now has his buckler against the Scholar’s, clearly as a Shield-Strike. The Priest’s sword is level with the Scholar’s head, almost horizontal with the knuckles, and true edge facing upwards.
Notes
The Priest has Shield-Struck, apparently almost directly sideways, rather than trying to force the Scholar’s hands down. This is accompanied by a rising cut to the Scholar’s face with the true edge of the Priest’s sword. The Priest will have had to have moved quickly to achieve this, as the Scholar, in fleeing the bind, will be moving away from the Priest, making an effective Shield-Strike difficult, as well as liable to leave the Scholar moving out of range even after an effective Shield-Strike.
Plate 14
Text
The First Guard, and the common opposition as above. But the play is different at the end of the sequence.
Image 2.1
The Priest is in Underarm. The Scholar is in horizontal Longpoint, again with the buckler rotated over the sword arm to cover the back of the sword hand.
Text
<over the Scholar>. Superior
<over the Priest> Inferior. But the Priest bound, even though he is inferior.
Notes
The text above is very precisely positioned over the combattants in the image below: superior over the Scholar, and inferior over the Priest. The Royal Armouries translates the Latin ‘superior’ as simply ‘above’, and ‘inferior’ as ‘below’. In Latin these words are comparative, and at the very leasy convey a sense of higher and lower, and in my opinion are also chosen to convey the concept of stronger and weaker.
Image 2.2
The Scholar’s position is largely unchanged from Longpoint, arms still horizontal, with his sword now pointing down about 30°. The Scholar’s buckler is still protecting the back of his sword hand. The Priest’s arms are horizontal, with his sword at a 45° amgle, although the hand is hidden behind the buckler. The Priest’s stance is also a little more upright than usual, certainly about half as sloped as the Scholar. Perhaps unexpectedly, the Priest’s sword is on the shield side of the Scholar’s sword (as viewed by the Scholar), and hence also behind the Scholar’s buckler position. The Priest’s buckler is not rotated, pointing to the Priest’s shield side. Thus, both bucklers are pointing in the same direction. The bind is just past the half-way point on the Scholar’s sword, and about a third of the way from the Priest’s hilt.
Notes
The relative position of the Priest and Scholar’s swords shows that a significant sideways movement has occurred. A static attack by the Priest would place his sword on the other side of the Scholar’s sword, where the Scholar’s buckler is still covering the expected line of attack. One would expect the Scholar to have rotated his buckler back if he had initiated the movement, so the implication is that the sideways movement was initiated by the Priest.
Therefore, the Priest has started his attack and then stepped to his sword side in order to take himself off the line of the Longpoint and allow the attack to bind from that side. This would also require rotating around the Scholar so that the swords bound, rather than just passing. The initial attack must progress enough, without movement, to convince the Scholar before the step is made, otherwise the Scholar will just follow, rather than defend the expected attack.
For the Priest’s sword to bind at the drawn angle, the attack must be a straight arc with the true edge presented for the bind. Rotating the blade for a false edge bind would end up nearly horizontal and be better for beating the Longpoint away, which is not the goal.
Despite missing the sideways movement, the Scholar has dipped his sword to meet the attack. The text makes clear that the Scholar is still in the stronger position, with his sword over that of the Priest.
Plate 15
Image 2.3
The Scholar has dropped his arms so that they now are in line with the sword at about 30° from the horizontal, recreating the initial Longpoint. The Scholar’s buckler has now been rotated back to the default position on the shield side of his sword hand, facing to the shield side, now covering against the Priest’s sword.
The Priest’s sword has been depressed, now pointing down at about 60° from horizontal, but the Priest’s arms are still horizontal from the shoulders. Thus, only the sword is depressed.
The swords are both bound at about the halfway point.
Notes
The relative positions of the opponents are very similar to that in Image 2.3 in the plays of Underarm versus Half-Shield, although the swords are a little lower. The Scholar has the stronger position, and is pressing the advantage, but the Priest is giving way only with the sword, leaving his arms and hands above the bind, rather than being rigid and having his arms forced down with the sword.
Text
Here is executed a change of the sword that lies below.
Image 2.4
The Scholar is in Longpoint, now at about 45°, and his buckler has now rotated over the sword arm again to protect the back of the sword hand, facing the sword side.
The Priest is in essentially the same Longpoint, except that his buckler his rotated under his sword arm.
The Priest’s sword is now bound above the Scholar’s, bound about halfway down, with the Scholar’s bound about two thirds of the way from the hilt.
Notes
This image is essentially identical to Image 2.4 in the plays of Underarm versus Half-Shield. The Priest has ‘changed his sword’, executing the same manoeuvre to gain the superior position above the Scholar’s sword. In short, the manoeuvre is a moulinet, or tramazzone, using the momentum imparted by the Scholar’s press to take control, simultaneously rotating the buckler under the sword arm. As in the previous instance, the Priest needs to take care that the Scholar does not take ‘good advice’ and thrusts, especially if the Scholar responds quicker than is presented in this example..
I.33 does not bother to go beyond this point, having already covered this previously.
At the point of the initial attack, and at the successful change of the Priest’s sword, the Scholar could flee the bind as presented in the first play. That would be premature in the first case, but a good option for the latter.
Archery Lesson 1: Eye Dominance
By Pól ó Briain
One of the first things you have to do before you even pick up a bow and arrow is to find out if you are a right or left handed archer. Not all right-handed people shoot archery right handed and the same can be said about left-handed people. What is much more important than if you are right or left handed is if you are right or left eye dominant.
How do we check which of your two eyes is dominant?
There are a number of ways of checking but here is my personal favourite is the ‘Miles test’. It is done as follows;
Stretch both your arms out straight in front of you.
Place one hand over the other with palms of hand facing away from you.
Make a small triangle between your hands using your thumbs. The smaller the better.
Look though the triangle at a stationary object in the distance.
Keep staring at the same object as you slowly bring both hands closer to your face.
The triangle will come to rest over one of your eyes. This is your dominant eye.
If you’re right eye dominant the bow goes in your left hand, and you draw the string back using your right hand. If you’re left eye dominant, the bow goes in your right hand, and you draw the string back using your left hand.
Why is eye dominance more important than hand dominance?
In normal binocular vision the dominant eye is the one that is primarily relied on for precise positional information. This means when you draw an arrow to your anchor point, you want it to be closest to the dominant eye. So if you are right eye dominant then by drawing the string back with your right hand this keeps the end of the arrow closer to the dominant eye. This makes it easy to look down the length of the arrow when aiming.
Events
These are the upcoming events in Insulae Draconis.
To submit an event for inclusion, use the form on the Drachenwald website,
https://drachenwald.sca.org/events/calendar-add/.
You don't need to provide all information right away; a minimal entry is enough at first.
The day after you submit an event, you'll receive an email with a link to edit your entry.
Changes will be reflected on the Principality website within a few minutes, and in editions
of the Baelfyr that are published before the event takes place. (If you're unable to find that
link, contact webminister@drachenwald.sca.org
for help.)
To keep entries consistent between the calendars, The Baelfyr no longer accepts event submissions
by email.
Baht 'at Bardic
Hosted by Pontalarch
Begins: Friday, 20 September 2024 Ends: Sunday, 22 September 2024
Activities: Dancing, Feast or Potluck, Bardic
A weekend of bardic focused delights in the wilds of North Yorkshire. Singing, music, dancing, acting.
Site address: Beamsley Project Charitable Trust, Harrogate Road, Hazlewood, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6JA
Members bed, bardic, food = £95 Bardic and food = £45
The price for bed, bardic and food includes: a bed in a dorm of no more than 4 people (a single bed each) with bedding included, several very clean wc's, shower rooms and a bath (towels also provided) Five meals (travellers fayre, Saturday breakfast, feast, supper, Sunday breakfast) also tea, coffee, water/squash in the 'quiet room'/dining room.
Begins: Friday, 27 September 2024 Ends: Sunday, 29 September 2024
Activities: Heavy Fighting, Fencing, Archery, A&S, Feast or Potluck, Camping
Pray Attend! Lords , Ladies, Good Gentles All, Members of the Populace of Lough Devnaree and shores far and wide; Will you bring your sword, your rapier, your bow, or your cunning art and science skills in pursuit of becoming one of the next Champions of Lough Devnaree!?
The Shire of Dun in Mara welcomes you to a weekend full of competition and fellowship. We will host tournaments for Armoured Combat, Fencing, Archery, and Arts and Sciences.
The event will occur from 18:00 on Friday 27 until 14:00 on Sunday 28 September. Dun in Mara cancellation policy applies.
Our kitchens will provide Traveler’s Fare on Friday evening. Breakfast, Lunch and Feast will be served on Saturday, and Breakfast on Sunday.
Site Address: Jim Kirwan Scout Hall Clara Co. Offaly R35 HT67
Site Information: The Site allows for camping and crash space. No bedding or sheets will be provided. There might be dogs at this event. They are allowed outdoors and indoors if they are on a leash. We ask all dog owners to control their dog´s behaviour.
Schedule To be determined. Will include Armoured Combat, Archery, Fencing, and Arts and Sciences.
Arts and Sciences competition To be determined.
Costs and food: Full weekend with meals and crash space or camping:
Full Event – Member ticket: 25€ Day Trip – Member ticket: 20€ Full Event – Non-Member: 37€ Day Trip – Non-member: 24€
Site address: Jim Kirwan Scout Hall Clara Co. Offaly R35 HT67
Reservation: https://fienta.com/champion Bookings close on September 19.
Cost: Full weekend with meals and crash space or camping: Full Event – Member ticket: 25€ Day Trip – Member ticket: 20€ Full Event – Non-Member: 37€ Day Trip – Non-member: 24€
We’ve held a number of events in Winchester, but the action has always been centred on just one or two sites, when there are many other places to visit in Winchester itself.
Since we are not taking part in the St Cross Michaelmas Faire, why not take this opportunity to explore some of the other sights of Winchester? Those who have taken part in Winchester Pilgrimage in the past will have seen some of these places in passing, but did you have time to stop and have a look?
Come join us for a walking tour around some of the other historical places in the ancient City of Winchester, known to the Romans as Venta Belgarum, and the former capital of England.
If you are interested, please email michaelmas@doc2prod.co.uk
Suggested itinerary – subject to change, timing and what people want to do.
The statue of Licoricia of Winchester, the 13th century financier and money-lender to kings, once one of the most powerful Jewish women in England
Winchester Castle, the Great Hall and Westgate Museum. See the Round Table, originally built in the 13th century and repainted in its current form for Henry VIII.
The Buttercross – a fine example from the 14th century
Winchester Cathedral – one of the finest in England
Cathedral Close and Priors Gate – one of the nicest parts of the city
Winchester College – founded in 1382 and has remained on the same site since (note this has guided tours at specified times, so we would need to book)
Wolvesey Castle, aka the Bishop’s Palace – built in the 12th century
King Alfred’s Statue – modern, but a reminder of Winchester’s historic past
St John’s Almshouse – depending on opening hours
The City Mill – recorded in the Domesday Book, but noted in records back to 932
Total distance – approximately 1.5 miles along mostly level paved ground.
Come in garb if you wish, but it’s not compulsory
Lunch can be taken on route, as there are plenty of pubs, cafes, coffee shops etc in the city. If there is sufficient interest, we could perhaps try for a block booking at a suitable venue.
The tour will be led by Ariel of Lindisfarne & Raphe Cuthbert (subject to availability)
There is no event fee, however, some of the sites have admission charges (save for those that might be free to National Trust/English Heritage etc members). Obviously, entering any of these and paying the fees is optional. If there is sufficient guaranteed interest, block bookings may be possible.
Licoricia – free
Great Hall/Westgate Museum - £8.50
Buttercross – free
Winchester Cathedral - £13.50
Winchester College - £12, a guided tour at a specific time – we’d need to book in advance, so would need confirmation of attendees. If we are more than 10, we’d have to arrange a group booking
Wolvesey Castle – English Heritage, but free anyway
City Mill – National Trust, but seems to be free entrance anyway
Suggested Meeting Point – statue of Licoricia outside the Arc, Jewry Street, Winchester, SO23 8SB
Five minutes’ walk from Winchester railway station
Parking can be busy in Winchester centre, so recommend the various Park & Ride sites https://www.winchester.gov.uk/parking/park-and-ride/ and aim for the City Road stop
Otherwise, Tower Street Car Park is the nearest, and being further from the shops, less likely to be overcrowded - https://en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/carpark/tower_street/so23/winchester?arriving=202408271830&leaving=202408272030
The car park behind the railway station is a similar distance - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pryjfw2VbHQHBvSw5
There is a car park behind the Arc, but it is very small and the chances of getting a space on a Saturday are pretty slim
Reservation: email Raphe on raphec@doc2prod.co.uk to give us an idea of how many people to expect
Cost: There is no event cost, however, some of the sites on the tour will have entrance fees (though some may be free to National Trust, English Heritage etc members)
Site information: Winchester, former capital of England, is an ancient city, known to the Romans as Venta Belgarum and has a rich history from ancient times through to the present day.
Medieval Dead
Hosted by Eplaheimr
Begins: Friday, 25 October 2024 Ends: Sunday, 27 October 2024
Activities: Archery, A&S, Feast or Potluck, Camping
Come join us as the moon orbits the skies, where the spirits dance and visit. Where they hide in the shadows as we sit around the midnight fire. Explore the foods of the new world but less we forget the lands that celebrate this festival. We will taste the food of Ireland. Come play games, and join us as we entertain around the fire.
Site address: Clara Scouts Den, Jim Kirwain Scout hall
Reservation: To Book - https://fienta.com/medieval-dead-95629
Cost: Full weekend crash space Members € 40 non members € 45 Full weekend unwaged /student Members € 30 Non members €35 Day trip (including feast) Members €15 Non Members €20 Children under 12 are free
Payment: Payments can be made on site
Site information: Clara Scouts Den, Jim Kirwan Scouts Hall, The Island, Clara, Co Offaly, Ireland R35 HT 67
Begins: Friday, 15 November 2024 Ends: Sunday, 17 November 2024
Activities: Heavy Fighting, Feast or Potluck, Camping
This edition of the Hastiludes is exceptionally held outside of Britannia, the usual duration and accommodations proposed have been expanded to accommodate our foreign visitors! A large heated hall is available to us to fight, eat and sleep in, with large kitchen and showers.
The program is yet to be clearly defined, but only one activity is on the schedule: armoured combat. Training, pick-ups, talks and lessons. Fear missing out on other activities? Don’t, none other are planned. The site is available to us from Friday evening to Sunday, with all main activities taking place on Saturday, with room on Sunday morning for those asking for more. We are expecting a few Scandinavian visitors, who sprouted the seed of this edition at Double Wars this year, this is an ideal occasion to meet them on the field!
Who is it for? Anyone interested in armoured combat regardless of experience or anyone willing to help with the organization.
But how do I get there? Fear not, once you reach the Island, a train line will get you a mere 5 minutes walk away from the site. We also have roomy cars that can accommodate you, your armour and take you there and back.
But where do we stay? The site has a large heated hall with an additional fireplace, sofas, mattresses and we will bring more furniture to accommodate everyone. All you will need is your sleeping bag… and earplugs.
But what do we eat? The hall being free from only 20h30 on Friday, a Traveler’s Fare will be organized. From Saturday breakfast to Sunday lunch, should you choose to opt in, your meals will be prepared by our local event cooks! Please book a meal plan ticket for each person opting in.
It would suit me if I could arrive a day before or leave a day after, do I have to pay for a hotel? Very unlikely, some of us are more than happy to house our faraway visitors, subject to room availability and individual arrangements.
If you have any other questions, please reach Etienne the Younger on Discord or Facebook, alternatively, send an email to etiennesu@gmail.com
Site address: Jim Kirwan Scout Hall, Clara, County Offaly, Ireland
Reservation: Reservation link will be created in a few days.
Cost: Expected preliminary cost 20€ + optionnal 10€ for all meals
Payment: Payments can be made on site, Foreign guests can pay at the door Reservation link will be created in a few days
Site information: Good size heated hall with professional kitchen, bathrooms, showers, sofas, mattresses, fireplace, large field of grass, parking and a small outbuilding suitable for discussion between a few people.
Begins: Friday, 6 December 2024 Ends: Sunday, 8 December 2024
Activities: Fencing, Dancing, A&S, Feast or Potluck
This is Flintheaths’s annual Yule Ball, held on the first full weekend of December at Buckden Towers in Cambridgeshire, England. The site is period with a Tudor gategouse and tower, and older chapels. The site used to be a waystop for the Bishop’s of Lincoln between their see and London, and was also the penultimate residence of Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife.
THis year’s Holly Monarch will be decided by a rapier tournament, after which there will be other rapier activities.
Feast will be at lunchtime, based on the theme of street food, probably followed by court.
Aftewards will be a A&S show and tell and the ball will start the revelries for the rest of the day and night.
Site address: Buckden Towers, High Street, Buckden, St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 5TA, UK
Event steward: Nicholas de Estleche dictus le Tardif
(nmfa@cantab.net)
Reservation: The link to the reservation form can be found on the website when it becomes live.
Cost: Standard Event Fee: £50 Non-member surcharge: £9 If you wish to skip feast: -£10
Bunk: £20 Bed in the Victorian House: £50
Payment: Payment information will be provided after registration, Foreign guests can pay at the door, but must confirm with a copy of their travel details. With exceptions, payment if required to confirm your booking.
Site information: The site is period with a Tudor gatehouse and tower, and older chapels. The site also includes a modern Roman Catholic church which encompasses the chapels, and is a run by the Roman Catholic Church with regular Masses, so please be respectful. Attendees are welcome to attend the services. The Church of England parish church is literally the other side of a wall from the tower, but requires a walk around the block to reach.
There is also a Victorian era house and extensive grounds. All the buildings have modern amenities, althoug wifi is patchy.
There are 40 bunks and 4 single corner rooms in the tower. The house holds 28 or 29 beds, depending on how tall you are. The gate house holds 3 available apartments with 12 beds. There is further accomodation at two local inns within easy walking distance, although a little more pricey.
Being a period site, mobility access is not universal. Access to the tower is via 5 stepsm and the higher f;oors where the bunks are located are accessed by a refurished, but substantial circular staircase.
All areas of the Victorain House on the ground floor can be access without steps, although not always by the most direct, or entirely indoor, route. The house contains the only fully accessible bedroom with two single beds and an en suite bathroom. There are further bedrooms accessible via a wide and shallow staircase with substantial bannisters.
Outdoor lighting is limited and the lighting in the house bedrooms is not bright.
Begins: Friday, 10 January 2025 Ends: Sunday, 12 January 2025
Activities: Heavy Fighting, Fencing, Archery, Dancing, A&S, Feast or Potluck, Royalty present
The Barony of Eplaheimr is proud to welcome all throughout the Kingdom to witness the glorious succession of the Dragon Thrones and the Crowning of the true heirs of Drachenwald. Come one and all to this joyful celebration!
Nollaig na mBan is the Irish name for 12th night - it means ‘Women’s Christmas’. We will also be celebrating the women in our Kingdom and in history over the weekend.
Cost: Petersburg Centre Adult full event, all food - €65 Adult Daytrip/offsite, all food - €50 Adult Daytrip/offsite, no Feast - €40 Child age 6 to 12, full event - €47 Child age 6 to 12, daytrip/offsite, all food - €30 Child age 6 to 12, daytrip/offsite, no feast - €25 Child age 5 and under, using bed - €16 (cost) Child age 5 and under daytrip/offsite – Free . Petersburg House Adult full event, all food - €85 Adult Daytrip/offsite, all food - €50 Adult Daytrip/offsite, no Feast - €40 Child age 6 to 12, full event - €65 Child age 6 to 12, daytrip/offsite, all food - €30 Child age 6 to 12, daytrip/offsite, no feast - €25 Child age 5 and under, using bed - €42 (cost) Child age 5 and under daytrip/offsite – Free
Minors between the ages of 13 and 18 will be priced as adults. Any non-members will be charge €5 extra per day
Payment: Payments can be made on site Main payment portal will be online through Fienta. Booking is expected to open at the start of August
Site information: Site is divided into the Centre - with larger bunk dormitories and shared bathrooms, and the House with small ensuite bunk rooms. The site provides sheets and pillows/cases, but no bedding.
Begins: Friday, 28 February 2025 Ends: Sunday, 2 March 2025
Lough Devnaree University
Hosted by Glen Rathlin
Begins: Friday, 14 March 2025 Ends: Sunday, 16 March 2025
Activities: A&S, Feast or Potluck
Come join the people of Glen Rathlin and the rest of Lough Devnaree for a weekend of learning
Site address: Crawfordsburn scout camp
Event steward: Caitriona of the Ravens
Reservation:
Bookings will be by Fienta
Site information: Crawfordsburn scout camp
Flaming Arrow
Hosted by Glen Rathlin
Begins: Friday, 2 May 2025 Ends: Sunday, 4 May 2025
Activities: Archery, Feast or Potluck
Another weekend of archery, food and good company
Event steward: Caitriona of the Ravens
St Bede's Fair ~ Flintheath's Anniversary
Hosted by Flintheath
Begins: Friday, 23 May 2025 Ends: Monday, 26 May 2025
Activities: Heavy Fighting, Fencing, Archery, Dancing, A&S, Feast or Potluck, Camping, Sewing, Equestrian
SAVE THE DATE! Flintheath invites you to join us again at Manor Farm for St Bede’s Fair to celebrate the Shire’s 40th anniversary!
Event steward: The Noble Renart
Strawberry Raid IV
Hosted by Dun in Mara
Begins: Wednesday, 28 May 2025 Ends: Monday, 2 June 2025
Activities: Heavy Fighting, Fencing, Archery, Dancing, A&S, Camping, Sewing
The Shire of Dun In Mara welcomes you to Strawberry Raid IV, six days of camping around the beautifully restored 15th-16th century tower house of Sigginstown Castle, in the beautiful sunny South-East of Ireland.
We will enjoy a range of activities from the arts, crafts and camp cookery to the martial pursuits of armoured combat, fencing and archery. Beginners and experienced practitioners are welcome across the board
