A section devoted to re-enactment events outside the regular Oxford term-time events.
Follow this link for the current termcard.
See also Preparing for a Weekend, a general guide to things you might need to bring for a weekend show like York/Tintagel/Hastings/DAS.
Committee types should read How to Organise Term Activities for lots of advice on when & how to run events in term and How to Organise Freshers' Events for stuff about the start of the year.
Events in 2025
Updated March 2025
Hauksby, April 4th - 9th, Wychwood Warriors
Our long weekend at the Murton Park Museum of Farming, living in a replica Viking village, living history during the day and songs in the longhall after the public have left.
Location: Yorkshire Museum of Farming, York
May 2nd - 5th, Flag Fen, The Vikings Society
Major show with combat, medicine herb garden, and we're told, a nice venue.
Location: Flag Fen Archaeology Park, Peterborough
Dry Sandford, May 16th - 18th, The Dark Ages Society
Small, private (no public) event, roleplaying and combat available. Banquet on the Saturday. Opportunities to train in a different combat system. Camping only.
Location: Dry Sandford scout camp, near Abingdon
UK Game Expo, 30th May - 1st June, The Vikings Society
Medium show, combat and LHE. Strange and nerdy atmosphere. Only available as a day trip. Limited number of spaces available for guests.
Location: Birmingham NEC
West Stow, June 20th - 22nd, The Dark Ages Society
DAS trip for West Stow's Dragon Festival event - lots of public, great atmosphere (dinosaurs and dragons). Stay in archaeological replica houses (some other groups also on site). No combat.
Location: West Stow, near Bury St. Edmunds, West Suffolk
Swindon Balloon Festival, July 4th - 6th, The Vikings Society
Major show with combat, LHE, LOTS of public. Hot air balloons.
Location: Lydiard Park, Swindon
Butser Ancient Farm, July 4th - 6th, The Dark Ages Society
Small event, lots of replica archaeological buildings. No public combat. Feast in the hall on the Saturday evening.
Location: Butser Ancient Farm, Petersfield, Hampshire
Kingston Fayre, July 26th, The Dark Ages Society
Town festival. Lots of public. Weapons and games display stall, fabric crafts. No LHE set-up (though other groups will be there with LHE stuff, and lots of other groups in general). Parade!
Location: Kingston-Upon-Thames
Northampton Balloon Festival, August 15th - 17th, The Vikings Society
Major show with combat, LHE, LOTS of public. Hot air balloons.
Location: Racecourse, Northampton Kettering Road
Oxford Castle & Prison, September 20th - 21st, The Vikings Society
Come to the prison! Small show run by Ulfrahfnar (very tiny LHE encampment), and a small amount of combat display. Day trip only.
Location: Oxford!
Horley Scout Camp, September 26th - 28th, The Dark Ages Society
Small, private (no public) event, roleplaying and combat (in the woods!) available. Banquet on the Saturday. Opportunities to train in a different combat system. Can be done as a day trip or an overnight stay. Camping only, but we have a hall for cooking. People who don't want to camp have the option of staying at Shelagh's.
Location: Horley Scout Camp, near Banbury, Oxon
Battle of Hastings, October 11th - 12th, The Vikings Society
THE BIG ONE.
Great major historical event re-enacting the Battle of 1066 at Hastings! Lots of LHE, large amount of combat (both competitive and scripted for the main battle), large amounts of shouting and booing at the Normans! Can day trip from London but not advisable from Oxford. Overnight available.
Location: Battle Abbey, BATTLE (NOT Hastings)
Wantage, October 26th, The Dark Ages Society (and also maybe The Vikings Society)
Wantage's Alfred Festival, celebrating the birth of King Alfred. Short show in the town centre - lots of public, no combat. Day trip only.
Location: Wantage
Past Events
Schools, Museums & Living History
- Children's Food Festival: in June 2009 we appeared at the Children's Food Festival at the Northmoor Trust in Oxfordshire
- Oxford Castle: We appeared at a Mediaeval Fair run by the Oxford Preservation Trust in June 2007 and were "back by popular demand"(!) in 2008 & 2012!
- York: We go to Danelaw Village, Murton Park, York (a.k.a. Hauksby) most Easters
- Hauksby Saga: The (Fictional) Tale of our Village at York.
- York video: A short film we made at York.
- The Saga of Somewhere Near Osgathorpe: an epic journey home from York, involving snow and a minibus.
- Ashmolean: We helped out at the Ashmolean Museum's family activity day entitled Saxon Sagas in Feb 2007 and at their Festival of British Archaeology in 2012.
- Great Milton School: A selection of the activities we performed at Great Milton, with thoughts on how well they went (very!) May 2006
Fighting
- Tintagel: A multi-group Arthurian bash in August 2007 & 2008
- Tintagel Videos: Beornwulf the Saxon in a semi-full contact tournament & Godfrid in a very full-contact wenching, August 2007
- DAS at Holmbury: A weekend DAS event in July 2007
- Green College Ball: "A Midsummer Knight's Dream" in July 2007
- Bunni's Hastings Diary: "What I Did On My Holidays". October 2006
Holidays
- St Briavel's Castle in Gloucestershire was the base for an amazing Mystery Trip Weekend in May 2009.
