Hark! Medieval stallholders, traders and vendors – we want you! Merchants and stallholders selling or demonstrating wares at the medieval market-place is one of the most popular attributes of the Abbey Medieval Festival and a much loved favourite of fans and visitors! The aim of the festival is to provide an authentic medieval environment, including the […]
The Ancient Art of Whacking People (A blog from Damien Fegan, image from Abbey Museum Library) You may be excused for thinking that combat at the festival is simply just whacking people with heavy steel objects. Not quite: stabbing, slashing, barging, tripping, buffeting, punching, kicking and the odd head butt also have a part to […]
Today on Medieval Eye for the Modern Guy we look at the do’s and don’ts of feasting. A few rules of thumb as you prepare yourself for the upcoming Abbey Medieval banquet. What to Wear We shall of course not even suggest to lecture the Ladies on what to wear as their fashion sense should […]
He who hath no sword, (let him sell his garment and buy one. Luke 22:36) No item in medieval history excites as much curiosity and misinformation as the Sword. Light, well balanced and deadly, a medieval sword was not the slightly sharp crowbar of popular myth. A typical single-handed sword weighed generally between 700 g […]
Win a VIP experience! Competition now closed! Everyone has to agree that the nobility and royalty had it good during the medieval era. After all, if you were poor, nobody cared and it wasn’t called the Dark Ages for no reason. So who would like to have a little taste of the good life – medieval […]
A medieval feast can seem a bit strange to modern sensibilities. Food is served in removes, which are miniature multi course meals in their own right and the choice of fare can often limit choice of supplier: unless of course you live in an area where the local Coles stocks porpoise and beaver. Then, there […]
There is something for every Lord and Lady at the Abbey Medieval Festival and this blog features a few special items designed to pique the female interest. Women, Ladies, Maids and girls – both medieval and modern minded – look, listen and laugh – you are in for some eyebrow raising subjects! Be…witched This presentation […]
There is something for every Lord and Lady at the Abbey Medieval Festival BUT if ever there was a festival demonstrating male prowess, strength and survival skills, this festival could be described as a very male expression. My Lords…we have tried to pick a few to summarize ….but you simply have to see them all. […]
Kids at the Abbey Medieval Festival (Imaged: BCroese) A fun-day out with the family is so important and therapeutic today and we are acutely aware that Mums and Dads are very selective with their down-time choices. Families work hard, endure difficulties and challenges – perhaps different to what medieval families had to endure – but […]
The significance of animals in the Middle Ages In comparison to our lives today, life in the dark and middle ages was not easy. Peoples’ routines revolved around the seasons – which would signify whether or not they had food – but hand-in-hand for the people that lived during those centuries were the animals that […]
5 ways you can benefit from volunteering Some people might think that if you volunteer, you waste your time because you don’t get anything out of it and it’s only for people who have nothing to do! Actually, that couldn’t be further from the truth! Are you missing something from your life and you don’t […]
The face of the Abbey Medieval Festival 2018 (Photo by B Croese) Who is our 2018 festival hero? Introducing Mr. Blair Martin, a multi-award winning Brisbane based actor, speaker, broadcaster, writer, director, entrepreneur and ‘Something Else’! In 2018, Blair will celebrate being the voice behind the microphone, the Master Herald at our annual medieval event […]
Not so Subtle is the banquet Subtlety In the Middle Ages, a medieval banquet was a feast of epic proportions. The tables were laden with sumptuous and multitudinous dishes, an expression of a nobles wealth on display for all his guests to see. Every day foods like pies, fruit and stews were accompanied by […]
To Joust Another Day… The trumpets blare and the crowds roar as mounted knights make their way into the arena. Their armour glints as it is caught by the winter sun and their banners flap in the breeze announcing the colours and heraldry of each rider. Then, the pageantry and ceremony over, the knights prepare […]
Jousting Can be Such a Drag! Many people know the name Ulrich von Liechtenstein from Heath Ledger’s portrayal of a character adopting that name in the 2001 movie A Knight’s Tale. The story of the real Ulrich von Liechtenstein is much more dramatic and bizarre than the Hollywood version. The real Ulrich was born probably […]
Abbey Museum Shoppe at the festival Where at the Abbey Medieval Festival can you find mini trebuchets? How about beautiful Turkish decorated ceramics or medieval games? Authentic medieval jewellery, scarves, figurines, carved wooden boxes, small silver jewellery caskets and a myriad of other enticing items? All at the Abbey Museum Shoppe of course! […]
St. Edith’s Village This is a a brand new encampment area planned for the 2017 festival, so we are very excited to bring you St. Edith’s Village – an encampment that depicts a 12-13 century crusader era village from differing geo-locations. So while it does not depict a village from any one country, […]