Historical Action Spectacular!

Visitors were unanimous in their praise for this event, with a staggering 99% of respondents to the post-event visitor survey saying that they would come back next year!  It was also very popular with participants, some of whom have said that it was the most enjoyable event they had taken part in for years.

EventPlan would like to thank all the re-enactors and other performers for making this event possible.

Visit our photographic gallery for great pictures from this event. Also, click the following link for additional exciting English Civil War photos. Or, view pictures taken at the pre-event photo shoot.

On 5-7 July, EventPlan Limited staged this event with CIP (Community Initiative Partnerships) in association with the London Borough of Hounslow.  With a winning combination of a great show, beautiful location, countryside ambience, experienced management and high quality participants, it was an  event to enjoy and remember!

The show included an impressive  range of exciting battles and displays recreating some of history’s most colourful eras, featuring well over 1000 top re-enactors and other performers. See below for more details.

On Friday 5th, around 1000 children from over 16 schools explored a fascinating series of living history and other displays recreating aspects of past eras. What people wore, how they lived, what they enjoyed and worried about. How warriors dressed and fought. How one era led to another. It proved a big success with the children, who were very excited by all they saw and did.

Alas, weekend visitor numbers were disappointing, due we believe to a combination of very bad weather at key times and numerous established major events also taking place on the same weekend. Bad weather also hit three other major historical events during 2002, so we were not alone in suffering! Indeed, only one (the War and Peace Show held in late July in Kent) enjoyed warm dry weather.

Dates and opening hours 2002

Weekend show:  Saturday 6th and Sunday 7^th July 2002, 10am to 5pm*.

School’s Living History day:  Friday 5^th. Whilst this latter was deliberately low-key compared with the main show, all main eras were covered within our living history programme, 10.30am to 2.30pm.

What did the show offer?

An action-packed multi-period spectacle, it included the following elements: 

Warriors and fighting techniques from the ancient Greeks to D-Day

Battles from the 11th, 17th, 19th and 20^th centuries

Living history through the ages

Military displays 

The siege of a Norman castle

Medieval jousting in full plate armour (right)

Equestrian skills-at-arms

Grand Parade of all eras

Music, dance, comedy and drama

Children’s entertainments

Classic military vehicles and vintage buses

A fascinating historical crafts market 

Doors opened at 9.30am with action continuing throughout the day from 10am to 5pm (Schools Living History Day - 10.30am to 2.30pm).

With over 50 timed displays per day as well as many ongoing activities, there were always lots of things happening at once. To make the most of the event, most visitors came early on both days and bought our souvenir programme. You can still obtain a copy (while stocks last) from Skirmish Magazine.

Timed displays took place in four main performance areas:

Main arena - large scale displays and battles.

The Motte Field  An C11th siege and other displays

The Arts and Historical Crafts Field  - several display areas to visit. Enjoy music, C17th, Zulu and Indian dance & other "close up" displays at The Stage, Tudor drama to 1940s music & song in the English Renaissance area, and Wild West living history and shoot outs at the Wyoming Wild Bunch arena. Plus a fascinating historical crafts market.

Children's area - Things for the kids to see, do and enjoy!

Although a large and ambitious event, the emphasis was on quality of presentation rather than sheer quantity, with a high level of historical authenticity expected from all participants. Displays were carefully scripted to best effect, taking into account the interesting ground and visitor sight lines as appropriate.

There was a fantastic programme to enjoy. Major displays included an C11th siege, jousting, the Battle of Brentford 1642, the American Civil War and Allies versus the Germans in Normandy 1944 complete with armour and machine guns in a ferocious firefight. Arena displays culminated in the grand finale, a colourful parade featuring all the participating groups marching past in chronological order.

But it was far from just being about big arena displays - there was a huge variety of other shows to enjoy.  Zulu dancers from South Africa (right) proved very popular, as did Indian classical and folk dances.

Oh yes, and there was the historical underwear show to enjoy too!

Living history encampments and displays were open throughout visitor hours.

The show covered many eras, including the following: 

Ancient Greek (Classical era)

Iron Age and Roman eras 

Viking

Saxons and Norman

Medieval

Tudor

English Civil War

C18th including the French & Indian War

Napoleonic and Regency era

American Civil War

Wild West

C20th including the World Wars

Around 1000 children attended Friday’s Schools' Living History Day, which was specifically arranged with the National Curriculum and school parties in mind (although on the day the children wanted to see everything including cowboys and other non-curriculum displays). Experiencing history first-hand through authentic recreations proved a thoroughly enjoyable experience as well as an excellent way to learn.

The packed 48pp Issue 20 (August/September 2002) of Skirmish magazine featured a 9 page photo report (plus cover) with 40 photos devoted to the event. Price £2 (plus p&p).

Order your copy by email, by calling on 01625 575700 or writing to Beaumont Publications, 1st Floor Adelphi Mill, Grimshaw Lane, Bollington, Cheshire SK10 5JB.

The show venue - Bedfont Lakes Country Park

The country park is an extremely attractive 180 acre landscaped man-made amenity, part park and part nature reserve. Completed in 1995 following a massive revitalisation project, it was the largest open space created in London during the 20^th Century and features extensive grounds, low hills, trees and lakes in a very pleasant setting. Despite being close to Heathrow Airport it is untroubled by aircraft noise as there are no flight paths over it. In short, it's a green oasis close to Central London, yet tranquil and ideal for events. As usual, Event Director Howard Giles used the ground in an imaginative way, to best visual and practical effect.

Location and Access 

The park is well worth a visit even on a non-event day and is extremely easy to find, being situated just inside the M25, 4 miles from the M25 at the Clockhouse Roundabout on the A30 towards central London. Map and directions were featured on this site.

Disabled visitor access: Most of the event was accessible to those with disabilities via flat ground or pathways.  A special parking area was set aside near the entrance to the park. Disabled toilet facilities were provided.

Parking, catering and refreshments

Parking was free and there was a wide variety of catering and refreshments available all day.

Admission prices were both affordable and good value.

Other links to    Events     EventPlan News        EventPlan Home Page      Explore EventPlan

Updated 15 February 2006