September 14th & 15th 10:00 – 16:00
Acle Early Medieval Re-enactment Society
Acle’s Saxon village demonstrates life just before the founding of Gisborough Priory. Activities include Combat, including ‘kid’s combat’, Cooking, Coin Striking, Weaving, Spinning and Carding, Beekeeping and Beeswax crafts, and many others!
Before the founding of Gisborough Priory in 1119, Guisborough was a Saxon settlement. Acle Early Medieval Re-enactment Society are setting up a village in the Priory grounds to show what life was like at that time.
Our hungry Anglo Saxons cook their own food on an open fire. Authentic ingredients from the early Medieval period are used and you can learn about the food that was enjoyed. Our villagers quenched their thirst with mead and ale. They will demonstrate how these were brewed.
The villagers demonstrate the meticulous process of creating fabric used to make their clothes. Visitors can learn about carding the wool, spinning and weaving to make clothes.
Bees were extremely useful to early medieval people because of the different uses of honey and beeswax. Villagers use skeps to demonstrate how this was done. You can learn about the process of beekeeping and it’s links to religious orders.
Villagers have their own coin mint where, for a small charge, you can strike your own coin and take it home.
In addition, other aspects of Saxon life will also be on display. The Harrying of the North was an attempt to wipe out the Saxons by William the Conqueror. The warriors of Acle will be demonstrating combat from the early Medieval period, with displays of tactics and formations as well as how each weapon may have been used. The warriors also teach ‘Kids combat’ in which they will learn how to form a shield-wall and have the opportunity to fight the warriors of Acle.
Also as one of the Heritage Open Day Events there will be a guided tour on Sunday 15th September at 14:00