Currently in: Michelmas 2021
Contact us
Message our Facebook page, or email the society at ku.ca.xo.sbulctneduts|yteicos.doowhcyw#ku.ca.xo.sbulctneduts|yteicos.doowhcyw.
You can join our mailing list by sending an email to:
wychwood-warriors-subscribe at maillist.ox.ac.uk
What's happening?
We have a lot going on this term! In addition to our regular Sunday afternoon Battle Practice and Thursday evening meetings, weekend events will include a trip to two reenactors' markets, a fire in the woods, and an early mediaeval feast. We will also arrange crafts / weapon repair sessions.
You don't need any previous experience. For all our in-person events, we provide all the equipment / materials.
You don't need to attend every session, and not everybody fights, or is crafty - it's OK to focus on what interests you.
Battle Practice Sunday afternoons 1-3 PM IN PERSON
Learn display and competitive fighting with steel swords and spears. We meet at the bottom of Jackdaw Lane, just outside the entrance to the University Sports Grounds.
What3Words location: duty.aware.dragon
You'll progress over the term from simple moves to free fighting. Once ready, you can take our competency test, meaning you're qualified to perform displays.
Thursday evenings 7:30 PM ALTERNATING IN PERSON / ZOOM
We meet every Thursday evening from 7:30 PM. Building on last year's successes, we're alternating in-person kitmaking sessions with Zoom meetings where we can focus on other activities and include people who don't want to meet indoors yet. Wychwood is for everybody!
Odd weeks: 1, 3, 5, 7: IN PERSON kitmaking / crafts session at Trinity College. Meet at the gates / porters' lodge at 7:30 PM. Make your own Viking or Anglo-Saxon costume ready for shows and our week of living history at the Viking village 7th - 12th April 2022.
Even weeks: 2, 4, 6, 8: ZOOM. The first half of the meeting will include a talk or activity, plus Anglo-Saxon riddles and Song of the Week. After about 9pm we will play our Oxnaford Chronicles historic roleplaying game set in Anglo-Saxon Oxford.
If you'd like to attend any meeting, please get in touch and we'll send you the Zoom link.
Event details
1ST WEEK
Sunday 10th October: 11-12:30 AM. Trainers session
IN PERSON - meet at Harry and Thorulf's
Qualified fighters only.
Sunday 10th October: 1-3 PM. Freshers' Welcome and Battle Practice
IN PERSON - Jackdaw Lane
Introductory session - watch some demo fights, play games to develop battlefield awareness, and learn basic moves with sword, spear and sling.
We will also show some of our costume and crafts, so do come along even if you don't think you'll be fighting.
Optional social after the session.
Thursday 14th October: 7:30 PM. Freshers Welcome and Kitmaking
IN PERSON - Trinity College, Britton Room. Meet at the gates at 7:30 PM.
- Learn about what you can do in historical reenactment
- See and handle replica costume and artifiacts
- Workshop - learn fingerloop braiding
- Create a character for our society roleplaying game, the Oxnaford Chronicles. The system is very simple, and you don't need to commit to every session.
2ND WEEK
Sunday 17th October: 1-3 PM. Battle Practice
IN PERSON - Jackdaw Lane
- Continue training with sword, spear or sling.
- Optional social after the session.
Thursday 21st October: 7:30 PM. Calligraphy workshop
ZOOM
Learn Anglo-Saxon calligraphy with Katie Hambrook. For this, you will need a paper and a pen - NOT a biro! A calligraphy pen or fine marker pen will work.
Anglo-Saxon Riddle of the week
Oxnaford Chronicles roleplaying game - don't worry if you haven't already created a character, come along and give it a try!
3RD WEEK
Sunday 24th October: 1-3 PM. Battle Practice
IN PERSON - Jackdaw Lane
- Continue training with sword, spear or sling.
- Optional social after the session.
Thursday 28th October: 7:30 PM. Kitmaking and crafts
IN PERSON - Trinity College, Britton Room. Meet at the gates at 7:30 PM.
- start making your own Dark Age costume
- crafts such as tablet weaving, nalbinding and fingerloop braiding
Saturday 30th Oct : 5 PM - late. Samhain fire
IN PERSON
Location: the Kidneys Nature Reserve, Oxford. Fire, stories, songs and merriment deep in the woods (half an hour walk from Oxford city centre).
4TH WEEK
Sunday 31st October: 1-3 PM. Battle Practice
IN PERSON - Jackdaw Lane
- Continue training with sword, spear or sling.
- Optional social after the session.
Thursday 4th November: 7:30 PM. What do we know about tunics?
ZOOM
Presentation by Harry Bedford about the archaeological and other evidence for making tunics as part of a Dark Age costume.
5TH WEEK
Sunday 7th November: 1-3 PM. Battle Practice
IN PERSON - Jackdaw Lane
- Continue training with sword, spear or sling.
- Optional social after the session.
Thursday 11th November: 7:30 PM. Kitmaking and crafts - with movies!
IN PERSON - Trinity College, Sutro Room. Meet at the gates at 7:30 PM.
- continue work on your Dark Age costume
- crafts such as tablet weaving, nalbinding and fingerloop braiding
- we'll also show a fun historical movie
Saturday 13th November: 9:30 AM Reenactors markets and historical mysteries day trip
IN PERSON
- Booking required
- Minibus day trip to two specialist reenactors markets. Your chance to buy fabric, mead, swords and more! Plus mystery historical sites and maybe a pub stop.
Artisans and Reenactors Market
Original Reenactors Market
6TH WEEK
Sunday 14th November: 1-3 PM. Battle Practice
IN PERSON - Jackdaw Lane
- Continue training with sword, spear or sling.
- Optional social after the session.
Thursday 18th November: 7:30 PM. Early mediaeval musical instruments
Icklemusic's Tom Wright will demonstrate and explain reconstructed early mediaeval instruments such as lyres and trumpets.
ZOOM
7TH WEEK
Sunday 21st November: 1-3 PM. Battle Practice
IN PERSON - Jackdaw Lane
- Continue training with sword, spear or sling.
- Optional social after the session.
Thursday 25th November: 7:30 PM. Kitmaking and crafts
IN PERSON - Trinity College, Britton Room. Meet at the gates at 7:30 PM.
- continue work on your Dark Age costume
- crafts such as tablet weaving, nalbinding and fingerloop braiding
Saturday 27th November: 7:00 PM - 11 PM. Feast
Marston Scout Hall, 238 Marston Rd, OX3 0EJ
Join us for a multi-course Dark Age feast, with mead tasting, songs, and games of strength and skill.
Don't worry if you haven't made costume yet - we can lend you kit, or you can just come as you are.
8TH WEEK
Sunday 28th November: 1-3 PM. Battle Practice
IN PERSON - Jackdaw Lane
- Continue training with sword, spear or sling.
- Optional social after the session.
Thursday 2nd December: 7:30 PM. Play: the Marriage of Njord and Skaði
IN PERSON (room tbc)
Dramatic reading of an original play based on Norse mythology. You can read a part, or be in the audience and heckle! Plus the usual crafts and social.
2022 Events
Thursday 20th January 7:30 PM
In-person kitmaking event including a talk by Claire Frampton
"How can archaeological evidence be used to reconstruct Anglo Saxon Clothing"
Thursday 24th February: 7:30 PM
ZOOM
Lecture by Dr. Mark McKerracher
"Feeding Anglo-Saxon England: archaeological science and early medieval farming"
Spring Hauksby
7th - 12th April 2022: our big trip to live for four full days in the Viking village in Murton Park, the Yorkshire Museum of Farming. We'll do crafts and living history for the public during the day, and live the life with mead and merriment in the evenings.
Old termcards from Trinity 2008 onwards can be viewed by clicking on 'History' below. Termcards from Michaelmas 1999 to Trinity 2007 are archived here.
