May Day Re-Creation of Tudor Life
May Day
May Day was a very popular holiday in Tudor times with lots of merrymaking. The celebrations were pre-Christian in concept and were based upon ancient fertility rites. Everything centred upon spring and encouraging crops and other fecundity.
Tudor May Day Celebrations
This Weekend Re-Creation takes as its theme the way in which the Tudors celebrated May Day. It is a very popular Re-Creation, probably because it is so lively and noisy.
The Re-Creation strives to re-capture the processions, plays, pageantry, music & dance of the time and is based at the Barns Sward on the Farm to create a village atmosphere and buildings there may be garlanded (hung with greenery). In their day the way in which locals celebrated May Day was so lively that Tudor Gentry, even the sovereign of the day, would go to watch the villagers enjoying themselves.
Programme during the Re-Creation
On the Saturday, a procession will collect a May Tree from the Woods, which complete with branches will then be bedecked with bright ribbons and raised to become, thereafter, the focal point of the celebrations. It bodes well if the tree lasted from one May Day to the next and ill if it came down betweentimes.
Every day of the weekend here are processions usually led by a Jack O'Green, covered in Greenery, and a May Queen, to the Hall accompanied by much noise. Simple plays of the time are performed (in which good - represented by St George - always ultimately overcomes evil - represented by a Dragon or a Turk). There is also much music and dance. Also no little drinking, revelry and ribaldry.
There are usually also Tudors at the House: Cooks in the Kitchen, Retainers & Gentry; and also in the 15th C Moat House service area: Dairy, Bakehouse, Stillroom & Needlewomen.
This year we expect to have some 150 or so Tudors taking part. There is no Time Tunnel at this Re-Creation.
Kentwell is always fun for children of all ages but is especially enjoyable for them during this Re-Creation.
Most people come early and spend the day at Kentwell.
House, Garden & Farm
Are all Open this weekend. Usually, Spring Bulbs, primroses and cowslips still adorn the Gardens at this time with the fruit trees and May Tree in blossom. This year the Lime Trees in the ancient Lime Avenue and elsewhere will be coming into leaf then and for a week or so after coming into full leaf they are a wonderfully delicate lime colour - a pleasure in themselves. It really is a lovely time in the Garden.
Farm
There are still young animals (especially many lambs and some Bagot Goat kids) as well as numerous fowl.and other animals to be seen on the Farm
Catering
Full catering will be available in the Undercroft Restaurant serving hot & cold lunches and teas and the Stableyard Café serving grills & chips.
Prices
Special Prices apply for the weekend. HHA visitors do not enjoy free entry during this weekend.
Related Pages
Details
| How Much of The House is Open |
All
|
| Likely Number of Re-Creation Folk |
100 - 150
|
| Opening Time |
11:00 am
|
| Late Entry Price Reduction Time |
2:30pm
|
| Closing Time |
5:00 pm
|
| Children Tickets |
Children aged 5-15, under 5's are free.
|
| Open On (see calendar) |
Saturday, 1 May 2010
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Monday, 3 May 2010
|