It is strange to think that 500 and more years ago East Anglia supported millions of sheep. The wool from them made the area prosperous.  Hence all the fine Churches and secular buildings of that age.  Nowadays, sheep in East Anglia are becoming quite a rare sight.  As, indeed, are farm animals generally, in this region.

On our Wool day we shear the sheep and then show how the sheep's wool can be used, especially spinning (which everyone knows about) and felting (which is a process unknown to the majority).  Those same 500 years ago just about everyone in East Anglia would have been involved one way or another in both those processes - and now ?  Could East Anglia muster 1,000 competent spinners and 100 able felters ?  Doubtful.  But it is very satisfying work.  You can spin anywhere - while watching TV, on the train.  Felting, though, is different and involving water has to be specially set up.

Its a big space and can accommodate over 300 for a Theatre Style Meeting, over 200 for a Dinner or Wedding Breakfast and slightly less for a Tudor Banquet.  We are devising means to shut off a section for smaller functions.

We prefer to supply all catering for functions ourselves.  After all we have an outstandingly gifted Chef. Notwithstanding, the space is available for bare hire. 

We lambed nearly 80 ewes, produced produced four calves (so far), several litters of piglets and just about every one of our Bagot Goats has produced - mostly twins.  We have also been hatching off chicks at a fair rate to replace all those the fox has killed (a high loss rate if - like us -  you let chickens run freely).  Only the horses have not produced this year - a result of difficulty in getting any in foal last spring. We have had to bottle feed some lambs and one calf for an excellent cow which unfortunately developed severe mastitis.  This is exceedingly demanding and keeps us tied even though the animals are otherwise all out grazing.

For the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday 5 to BH Monday 8 May) Kentwell has a Re-Creation of Tudor Life which takes as its theme Tudor May Day Celebrations .

May Day

In Tudor Times this was one of the most lively and joyous of Festivals. It derived from ancient pre-Christian celebrations to waken or welcome the advent of Spring. All the dancing, singing and music was to make sure that Spring was awake or to awaken Spring if it was late coming.