On Saturday we met up with family members and visited Rufford Abbey in Nottinghamshire which is close to where they live.
The Grand Historical and Vintage Bazaar was a fascinating event and well worth the parking fee as everything else was free including all the arena events.
There were loads of stalls selling vintage clothes, there were re-enactor sales and traders of historical items.
There was also what seemed like a huge village of tents of varying types and colours where the re-enactment groups were positioned and there was so much activity and so many costumes from different periods of history along the rows.
There seemed to be characters from all centuries and eras walking around chatting to each other. You came across Napoleonic soldiers chatting to second World War land girls. Saracens strolling around with Roman soldiers and early 19th century street urchins, suitably grubby, chatting to medieval nuns. The sun shone for most of the day, we sat on the lawns to picnic on home made pizza which we shared with each other and a robin or two.
The whole things was wonderfully bizarre at the Grand Historical Bazaar. Below are more photos to give you a flavour of the day.
I think these are fire wardens from the 2nd World War. They were happy to pose for photographs.
An American Officer and a British Land Girl
Keeping the seams straight - not sure whether they are painted on with gravy browning though! These ladies were having a wonderful time chattering in the sunshine.
More second world war costumes and 40s costumes
Fish wife - her basket was full of fish and other 19th century street traders from the group known as The Ragged Victorians.
More early 19th century costumes
Soldiers from 1815
2nd world war soldier taking a break
First world war ladies
The Roman Military Research Society
Saracens
Medieval Ladies
Comitatus - the late-Roman re-enactment group
The Tudor Group were separate from all the other groups, they had set up camp in the woods amongst the bluebells.
There were also some vintage vehicles on display
Just as we were leaving the heavens opened I hope all those tents were waterproof!
Looks like a fascinating day Rosie x Jane
ReplyDeleteIt was, Jane - and I'm sure I only saw half of what was on offer:)
DeleteWow, what an amazing day!!! It looks as though it was fascinating, and how great that they have enactors from so many different eras all joining in together at once. That must have been a really good visit! xx
ReplyDeleteIt was good to have the different enactors there but strange when they mixed up the different centuries - they came into their own in the arena whith their displays:)
DeleteGreat photos...and Rufford Abbey looks like an interesting place to visit too. Jx
ReplyDeleteIt is an interesting place to visit Jan, we used to live not far away and have seen it develop over the years. The ruins of the abbey are fascinating and the modern sculptures in the garden:)
DeleteOh - how absolutely fabulous - I love things like that - sure looks like a lot of fun they were all having.
ReplyDeleteThey were all having fun, especially the 1940s ladies:)
DeleteIt looks lovely Rosie with lots of things to look at! I wouldn't like to be representing the ragged Victorians group! x
ReplyDeleteThe ragged Victorians had certainly gone whole heartedly into their parts - dirt and all but they looked the most realistic of all of them:)
DeleteWhat a variety of costumes and things to see - must have been a really good - and interesting! - day out.
ReplyDeleteIt was great fun, Louise and such a pleasant place to be too:)
DeleteHow interesting. Your pictures were almost like being there myself. Loved my travel with you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jean - glad you enjoyed the photos - it was a great day with a super atmosphere and thankfully the weather held out whilst we were there:)
DeleteI do enjoy these re-enactment events. The Rufford Abbey must be a special one with like-minded folk from all the different groups gathered in one place. I'm looking forward to the V.E. Day commemoration re-enactment events that are coming up - meaningful because of my 70th birthday next month.
ReplyDeleteI think Rufford are having a VE Day re-enactment in September. It was strange but rather good to have all those different eras in one place:)
DeleteRosie, this looks wonderful, would love to go to something like this. We'll be in England in August, do you know of anything like this going on?
ReplyDeleteHave put a couple of links below of various events around the country as I'm not sure which area you are coming to. There seems to be a 2nd World War event at Rufford in September and a re-enactment of the Battle of Evesham 8/9 August.
Deletehttp://www.historic-uk.com/LivingHistory/
http://www.eventplan.co.uk/page200aa.html
hope these help:)
How fantastic - I would have loved this. I'll have to watch out for it next year xxx
ReplyDeleteYou would have loved it Diane - I want to go next year if it's on again:)
DeleteWow - what a weird and wonderful lot we British are! I've never been to anything like this before - it must have been quite an experience. Judy X
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a very weird and wonderful spectacle and a wonderful experience in such a lovely place:)
DeleteThat looks fantastic, I think it's brilliant that people do this sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful that some of the re-enactors do this almost every weekend in some cases - such dedication and enthusiasm:)
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