Medieval times

Here the 15th Century falcon and owl display has a member of Raphael Falconry display what an owl can do.

1216 - 1485

Here the English Heritage Festival's official jester - Kester the Jester demonstrates some stick juggling for the crowd.  

The Knight's Tournament

The Knights from the East and the West ride on their mounts towards the crowd before the Mounted Skill at Arms competition.

Here the challenger knight for the east on the yellow team uses a mace against a head of cabbage at a full stride.

The Joust was a final highlight of the day.  Here the knight for the north jousts against the knight from the west.

English Civil War 1624-1645

Members of the English Civil War Society show off the weapons of the day from the 15th century.  This man actually fired this weapon in the rain!  Surprising when the powder is exposed.

Members of Sir Thomas Fairfax Parliamentary troops preparing to head to the battlefield.  These roundheads fought on the side of Oliver Cromwell

Here King Charles the first, in the center, meets with his leader of the Royalist forces, Prince Rupert and Lord Astley.

The Royalists (or Cavaliers) form up with the much larger army.  You can see the flag of St. George in the corner of the battle flag.

Dragoons use a the Sulby Hedges as concealment to attack Prince Rupert's cavalry.

The Royalists, left, and the Roundheads do hand to hand battle after attacking with the pikes first.

As the reenactment completes Oliver Cromwell sits on his horse, in yellow jacket, to address them -- After Cromwell led the overthrow of the British monarchy, he ruled England, Scotland, and Ireland as Lord Protector from December 16, 1653 until his death on September 3, 1658.

Georgian period  1714-1837

The 95th Rifles, Royal Green Jackets, were one of the most famous of Wellington's units during the Peninsular Wars fought in Spain and Portugal against Napoleon.

The Green Jacket riflemen served for six years on the Iberian Peninsula from 1808 to 1814.

The RGJ move forward to form a skirmish line during this battle reenactment.  Even during a long rainy day Susan said this was a fun reenactment to watch.

The RGJ attack the French enemy.  If you want a good book to read about them Read "Rifles" by Urban.

The Union Flag flies over the Redcoats who stand on the flank of the RGJ.  A British artillery crew fires from the left.

Here is the cavalry battle between the British and the French.  Sabers are flying around everywhere and the horses were pretty big too.

The French troops begin to charge the British. 

Here they are in full attack towards the British forces who had to fall back..can you guess who won this reenactment?  It couldn't be the French could it?  That wouldn't work here at the English History Festival or as an accurate portrayal of who fled the field more during the Peninsular Wars.

The Redcoats and the Royal Green Jackets of the 95th form up after the battle.  These reinactors came from the Napoleonic Association.  

At a demonstration of the British Soldiers from 1645-1945 there were reenactors from all periods.  Here a soldier from the Boer War (1899-1902) shows off his uniform prior to the soldiers from the Great War.

Ian stands with a private from the Manchester Regiment that served in the Great War (World War I)

Soldiers in a World War I camp display their equipment.

British units are not the only type that they love to reenact.  Here members of the US 1st Infantry Division dig some fox holes like they did across Europe during WWII.

Ian gets to stand with a company commander and a corporal reenactor from the US 2nd Ranger Battalion.  In real life this battalion was lead by LtCol James Earl Rudder and took Point-du-Hoc on D-Day.