Stafford Castle
1000 Year Fair
21-22 July 2001
Left: The walls of Stafford Castle tower above these redcoats of the 47th
Foot. Photo: Howard Giles.
Last year EventPlan was commissioned by Stafford Borough Council to organise key aspects of this multi-period event, including sourcing of performing groups, timetable of activities, narration and artistic direction, together with advice on other aspects including advertising and promotion. Our brief was to produce an enjoyable event that would raise the profile of the castle and interpret its history, a key feature being to use the topography of the castle grounds to best effect.
This involved organising a small but top-quality multi-period
weekend appropriate to the history of the castle, with performers recreating
military and civilian life from the 10th to 20th
centuries. Accordingly, we engaged the services of the most suitable
historically accurate groups to present a series of arena display and ongoing
living history specifically designed to personally engage and entertain
visitors.
The event attracted over 1500 people, a good number for Stafford Castle despite threatening weather and two other events in the area. See our
galleries for pictures.EventPlan’s expenditure was exactly on budget, each element having been carefully costed beforehand. This allowed funding to be targeted to best effect.
The re-enactors taking part were drawn from Anmod Dracan (C11th-13th),
Erpyngham Retinue (C14th), Vaughan Household (C15th), Diabolus
in Musica (C16th musicians),
Fairfax Battalia (C17th), 47th
Foot (C18th redcoats) and English Renaissance (a multi-period group on
this occasion portraying Staffordshire soldiers from 1815 to 1944).
A continuous series of displays were staged from 11am to 5pm, including ongoing living history exhibits and archery together with, at the end of the day, a parade of all the participants. Military displays were offset by numerous “civilians” including medieval ladies, C17th camp followers and the Tudor musicians.
16 invited top traders participated, within an attractive tented Traders’ Row
.They demonstrated a number of period crafts and offered unusual hand-made goods
for sale. Indeed, this aspect of the event proved particularly popular with
visitors, along with the numerous arena and living history displays.
One delighted local visitor wrote to the castle afterwards that “….we were totally engrossed in all the activities taking place. Having decided to attend the event for an hour or so, we stayed all day until the final procession. It was the most relaxing and interesting day I have had for quite a while… many congratulations to the events organisers and participants for an extremely well organised, entertaining and educational day.”
Immediately following this event, EventPlan was asked by Stafford Borough Council to plan the
1000 Year Fair 2002, building on the success of this one. Click for details.Links to Events EventPlan News Home Page
The London Historical Action Spectacular 2002
Page last updated 31 March 2002