Gloucester through the ages - Live!

Sunday 19 and Sunday 20 April 2008, 11am to 4.30pm     Free admission

 Please note that some outdoor displays may be limited in the event of poor weather.

A free full colour programme with map will be available shortly from Gloucester Tourist Information Centre and the Guildhall, with copies also available at key event venues during the festival weekend.

Time Activity Performer(s) Location
11.00am Saturday only:  Parade From the Cathedral, with the Mayor meeting the performers at the Guildhall All historical groups/ performers Cathedral, College Street, Westgate Street, Eastgate Street, Guildhall, Southgate Street and the historic docks
  Roman object handling Museum staff Museum & Art Gallery
  A Victorian story Museum staff Folk Museum
  Sunday only: Living history commences All historical performers All living history venues
11.30am Take part in a Victorian school classroom lesson! Museum staff Folk Museum
11.40am approx Saturday only: Parade ends All historical groups/performers Historic docks
11.50am Saturday only: arrival of Nelsonian launch , rowing in from the River Severn. The Historical Maritime Society Historic Docks, Main Basin
Noon Saturday only: Living history commences All historical performers All living history venues
  Roman Army display The Ermine Street Guard Historic Docks arena
  1940s music and song The Spitfires Historic Docks
  Roman, Viking and Nelsonian replica boats on the water Britannia, The Viking Longship Experience and Historical Maritime Society Historic Docks, Main Basin
  Beatrix Potter's Gloucester. Limited numbers, free tickets available from The House of the Tailor of Gloucester. Gloucester Civic Trust The House of the Tailor of Gloucester, in College Court. 
  Medieval combat and an opportunity for children to (safely) learn to fight like knights Drudion Greyfriars
  Music and storytelling Ruth Moore Williams St. Michael’s Tower
  A Victorian story Museum staff Folk Museum
  3 Mans Morris – a medieval game, with children as the players and “pieces”! Higgler  Cathedral grounds (Medieval encampment)
  Sunday only: Medieval music and song Misericordia Blackfriars
12.30pm C18th redcoats and sailors Lace Wars Historic Docks arena
  Victorian song The Festival Players St. Michael’s Tower
  Norman knights, men-at-arms and combat Les Miles de Marche Cathedral arena
  Tudor Puppet show Perrotts Puppet Players Cathedral grounds
  A talk about medieval pilgrimages Kay Rouse Cathedral (Main entrance)
  Guided tour English Heritage Blackfriars
  Storytelling Telling History Greyfriars
1pm Victorian redcoat and sailors’ drill and rifle firing The 1879 Group and The Bluejackets Historic Docks Arena
  Medieval music and song Misericordia Saturday: Cathedral (Nave): Sunday: Blackfriars
  Have a go Roman soldiers’ drill for children The Ermine Street Guard Cathedral arena
  Medieval circus skills (including a chance to have a go) Those Flamin' Squirrels Greyfriars
  A talk on the history of St.  Michael’s Tower, including about its ghost! Gloucester Civic Trust St. Michael’s Tower
  Take part in a Victorian school classroom lesson! Museum staff Folk Museum
  Sunday only: A Medieval pilgrimage to the tomb of Edward II The Wars of the Roses Federation and Knights Hospitalers Cathedral (Quire)
1.30pm English Civil War drill and musket firing The English Civil War Society Historic Docks arena
  Victorian dance The Festival Players Historic Docks
  Guided tour Gloucester Civic Trust Historic Docks, commencing at the Mariners’ chapel
  Viking combat, followed by a chance for children to become Viking  warriors! Cwmwd Ial (The Vikings) Cathedral arena
  Storytelling: St. George and the Dragon! Kay Rouse St. Michael’s Tower
  Music and storytelling Ruth Moore Williams Greyfriars
  A Roman story Museum staff Museum & Art Gallery
2pm WWII military vehicles and Home Guard 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment (The Gloucester Regiment) Living History Group, with Discover History Historic Docks arena
  Roman, Viking and Nelsonian replica boats on  the water Britannia, The Viking Longship Experience and Historical Maritime Society Historic Docks, Main Basin
  3 Mans Morris – a medieval game, with children as the players and “pieces”! Higgler  Cathedral grounds (Medieval encampment).
  Medieval music and song Misericordia Blackfriars
  Storytelling Telling History St. Michael’s Tower
  A talk about medieval archery and arrowheads Drudion Greyfriars
  Historic Gloucester guided tour Gloucester Civic Trust Starting from the Tourist Information Office in Southgate Street
  Roman object handling Museum staff Museum & Art Gallery
2.30pm C18th redcoats and sailors Lace Wars Historic Docks arena
  1940s fashion show The Spitfires Historic Docks
  Victorian song The Festival Players Cathedral grounds
  Norman knights, men-at-arms and combat Les Miles de Marche Cathedral arena
  Tudor Puppet show Perrotts Puppet Players Cathedral grounds
  Take part in a Victorian school classroom lesson! Museum staff Folk Museum
  Have a go medieval soldiers drill and “walk through” a medieval battle! The Wars of the Roses Federation St. Michael’s Tower
  Music and storytelling Ruth Moore Williams Greyfriars
  Storytelling: St. George and the Dragon! Kay Rouse Blackfriars
3pm The Roman Army The Ermine Street Guard Historic Docks arena
  Victorian redcoat and sailor’s drill, plus (safe) sailors’ cutlass drill for children The 1879 Group and The Bluejackets  Historic Docks
  Meet armoured knights and their horses (1) Warhorse and Hellequinn Cathedral grounds
  Beatrix Potter's Gloucester. Limited numbers, free tickets available from The House of the Tailor of Gloucester. Gloucester Civic Trust The House of the Tailor of Gloucester, in College Court. 
  Guided tour English Heritage Blackfriars
  Medieval music and song Misericordia St. Michael’s Tower
  Medieval combat and an opportunity for children to (safely) learn to fight like knights Drudion Greyfriars
  A Roman story Museum staff Museum & Art Gallery
3.30pm English Civil War drill and musket firing The English Civil War Society Historic Docks arena
  Roman, Viking and Nelsonian replica boats on  the water Britannia, The Viking Longship Experience and Historical Maritime Society Historic Docks, Main Basin
  1940s Home Guard Drill Discover History Historic Docks
  Equestrian display by armoured medieval knights Warhorse and Hellequinn St. Oswald’s Priory
  Victorian song and dance The Festival Players St. Michael’s Tower
  A talk about medieval pilgrimages Kay Rouse Cathedral (Main entrance)
  C18th redcoat recruiting party Lace Wars The New Inn (to be confirmed)
4pm Medieval arms, armour and combat The Wars of the Roses Federation Historic Docks arena
  1940s music and song The Spitfires Historic Docks
  Viking combat, followed by a chance for children to become Viking  warriors! Cwmwd Ial (The Vikings ) Cathedral arena
  Tudor Puppet show Perrotts Puppet Players Cathedral grounds
  Medieval music and song Misericordia Blackfriars
  Medieval circus skills (including a chance to have a go) Those Flamin' Squirrels Greyfriars
  Music and storytelling Ruth Moore Williams St. Michael’s Tower
4.30pm Living history closes All All
8-9pm Saturday Songs and searchlights – 40s music and song with WWII searchlights lighting up the sky The Spitfires, The Garrison and Discover History Historic Docks, North Warehouse

 (1) Visitors are invited to follow the knights to St. Oswald’s Priory at 3.25pm.

Ongoing living history, displays and activities (Noon to 4.30pm Saturday, 11am to 4.30pm Sunday)

Activity

Performers/organisers

Location

3 replica historic boats with Roman, Viking, C18th, Nelsonian and Victorian sailors

Britannia, The Viking Longship Experience, The Historical Maritime Society and The Bluejackets

Historic docks, North Warehouse

Roman mosaic designing, making games and sorting and identifying archaeological artefacts.

Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service

Cathedral grounds

Have a go at Roman crafts

Museum staff

City Museum & Art Gallery

Norman and C15th medieval encampments & living history

Les Miles de Marche and The Wars of the Roses Federation

Cathedral grounds

Medieval monastic and Knights Hospitalers’ living history, with have a go archery (a small fee applies for the archery)

The Ringwoods of History, Alex & Pam Summers, and The Knights Hospitaller Association

Blackfriars

Have a go medieval games

Higgler

Cathedral grounds

Juggling and street entertaining Zooted Various locations

A visit by Henry VIII (and his wives!)

Farthingale

Cathedral grounds/Promenading

Living history set during the siege of Gloucester 1643 – children invited to try on a pikeman’s armour!

The English Civil War Society

Parliament Rooms and cathedral grounds

C18th redcoat encampment

Lace Wars

Cathedral grounds

Victorian  everyday life, fashion and hands on activities including a chance to try Victorian crafts

Hands on History and Museum staff

Folk Museum

Victorian redcoats, sailors and rope maker

The 1879 Group, The Bluejackets and Gerry Burrows

Historic Docks

WWII vehicles, Anti-aircraft searchlights and Bofors gun static display, with Home Guard living history

43rd Reconnaissance Regiment (The Gloucester Regiment) Living History Group, The Garrison and Discover History

Historic Docks

Take part in a Roman excavation!  (by advance ticket)  

Come along to the Cathedral grounds and take part in an excavation with archaeologists from Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service. This is your chance to find out what it is like to be a real archaeologist! All sessions ticketed and booked in advance through the Guildhall box office. Times: 11-11.45am, 11.50-12.35pm, 12.40-1.25, 2.00-2.45m, 2.50-3.35, 3.40-4.25pm. For further details of the excavation event (only), please contact Anna Morris on 01452 425705 or email anna.morris@gloucestershire.gov.uk

 

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Updated 1 April 2008