Step back in time at Mary Arden’s Farm
Mary Arden’s Farm, once the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother, will again be transformed into an exciting and bustling hive of activity for its spectacular ‘Tudor Festival’.
The three day Festival, which takes place from Saturday 29 – Monday 31 May, will transport visitors back to the 16th century to enjoy live music, dancing, feasting, archery, games, falconry and a wide range of traditional cookery and crafts.
Now in its second year, the Festival promises to be a spectacular insight into Tudor Life with the Farm playing host to a real village set in 1573 and featuring a traditional handfasting ceremony (a modern day engagement party). The Farm will envelop guests in the hustle and bustle of a busy Tudor community in the lead up to a traditional handfasting party. Expert period interpreters and re-enactors from around the UK will join forces with the folks at Mary Arden’s Farm to re-create an unmissable Tudor themed event for all the family.
The formal handfasting ceremony between Thomasine Palmer and Myles Bird, will be seen across all three days of celebration. Thomasine is the daughter of Master & Mistress Palmer, who live next door to the Arden family at Palmer’s Farm. In addition, there will be an incredible display of traditional crafts, skills and activities with authentic characters to chat to, many based on the local families from the village of Wilmcote at the time.
Some of the UK’s expert Tudor musicians who have performed at Shakespeare’s Globe, the Golden Hinde and Hampton Court will entertain the crowds with authentic tunes. There will be Tudor dancing, as well as traditional ‘Mummers’ to watch whilst visitors soak up the authentic atmosphere and enjoy the celebrations.
One of the country’s Tudor archery experts will be on site all weekend performing demonstrations and giving onlookers the chance to have a go with the longbow and shoot a traditional earth butt or hanging ‘popinjay’ (a bird or a Spaniard usually).
Food and ale would have been at the very heart of any Tudor event, so a whole cross section of dishes will be cooked in the authentic kitchen and outdoors over an open fire. Visitors can enjoy a delicious Hog Roast and watch dishes being prepared such as pottage (stew/soup), perrey of peason (mushy peas), egardouce of coney, (sweet and sour rabbit), sodde eggs (eggs in mustard sauce), brye tartte (cheese tart) and smothered capon (chicken casserole).
Traditional activities will continue throughout the Festival, showcasing many Tudor tricks and techniques for everyone to see and learn about. During the Tudor period, Warwickshire was a huge wool area and over the weekend there will be plenty of carding and spinning, using wool from Mary Arden’s very own sheep.
The resident Tudors will also be showcasing plants which will be used to make natural dyes and colour the wools. Madder was one of the most commonly used dye plants producing a range of red colours, walnut shells gave a dark brown and bright yellows came from onion skins. Festival goers will be able to see and feel the wool at each stage of the process. Visitors will also be able to learn about remedies and treatments for common ailments in the Still Room. Ointments and pills for everything from a clear complexion to piles will be made over the weekend.
The Festival will also feature a selection of expert Tudor seamstresses. Many of the household’s women would have made their own clothes for the family, so they will be on site making new clothes all weekend, great if you fancy making your own kirtle (dress) or codpiece!
After all the hard work, cooking, sewing and spinning, unsurprisingly clothes can get very dirty. Laundresses will be washing shifts and shirts using the traditional methods of soap and elbow grease. Visitors can watch the bawdy washerwomen making soap and join in with the washing. If the washerwomen invite you to pee in their pot, they might just mean it (how else do you bleach linen?!)
The Tudor Festival promises to be a fantastic family event, with food, real ale, craft stalls and a huge wealth of Tudor traditions to enjoy. There are plenty of activities for children to enjoy such as face-painting, dressing up in Tudor costumes and exploring the Shakespeare-themed Children’s Trail. Tickets to the Farm are valid for a full twelve months, so after the Tudor Festival memories have faded visitors can go back again and again throughout the year, for free!
Mary Arden’s Farm is situated in Wilmcote, just outside Stratford-upon-Avon. There is free parking, a café and adventure playground, as well as further Tudor events and activities throughout the year. Visit shakespeare.org.uk for more information.
