Recreating the past for live events, TV and film
Sutton Hoo through the ages
Late Roman, Dark Age, Norman, Napoleonic and WWII living history & displays
A multi-period living history weekend at
Sutton Hoo, Suffolk IP12 3DJ
Tourism in Suffolk Awards 2007 winner: Best Large Attraction and finalist, Sustainable Tourism
Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3DJ. Telephone: 01394 389700.
Our
third great weekend of displays and entertainments at world famous
Sutton Hoo,
staged on behalf of the
National Trust, and following the success of our
2008 event, now expanded with more
performers including Napoleonic redcoats.
Enjoy living history, combat and have a go activities designed to place this fascinating Dark Age burial site within its historical context. Meet C5th Romans and early Germanic invaders, King Raedwald and his C7th warriors, C8th-11 Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, but beware of the C11th Norman conquerors - far more interested in carving out their new kingdom with the sword and extorting taxes than looking back to Sutton Hoo's glory days as a royal burial ground. Then take a leap forward in time to watch displays of drill and musket firing by Napoleonic redcoats, guarding the coast against Napoleon Bonaparte, and the gallant Home Guard preparing for expected Nazi invasion in 1940.
Also enjoy a performance of Beowulf, talks, demonstrations including of dark age burial rites, crafts, and regular mini tours of the burial mounds. A number of interesting historical traders will also be present, selling a variety of fascinating historical reproductions and craft items. Plus have a go archery (a small fee applies) and children's activities.
Performers
There's a great line up of over 100 top living history performers including The 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot, Ancient Wisdom, Angelcynn, Britannia, The Civil Defenders, Earley Days, Hands on History, Paul Mortimer and Ulfhednar England, The Household, Ousekjarr, Weorod and Wulfingas.
Living history groups and other performers interested in taking part in our events are invited to contact us for further details and click the link for our Standard terms and conditions for participation.
|
Time |
Activity/display |
Performer(s) |
|
10am |
Living history opens |
Various |
|
11 |
Invasions and migrations, an interactive display |
Ancient Wisdom |
|
11.30 |
Twilight of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of the Germanic warrior |
Britannia and Weorod |
|
Find out about and handle replica Sutton Hoo treasures |
The Sutton Hoo Society |
|
|
12 |
Guarding the coast against Napoleon: Redcoat drill and musket firing |
The 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot |
|
|
Early Saxon burial rites |
Wulfingas |
|
12.30pm |
Viking archery |
Ousekjarr |
|
|
A talk about the life of Edith Pretty, instigator of the famous 1939 excavation |
Mary Skelcher |
|
1 |
Invasions and migrations |
Ancient Wisdom |
|
|
The Normans |
The Household |
|
1.30 |
Invasion threat 1940: Home Guard training |
The Civil Defenders |
|
|
Find out about and handle replica Sutton Hoo treasures |
The Sutton Hoo Society |
|
|
Arms and armour at the twilight of the Western Roman Empire |
Britannia
|
|
2 |
Saxons and Vikings |
Ousekjarr |
|
|
Beowulf – the epic dark age tale enacted! |
Wulfingas |
|
2.30 |
Guarding the coast against Napoleon (as Noon) |
The 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot |
|
|
A talk about the life of Edith Pretty, instigator of the famous 1939 excavation |
Mary Skelcher |
|
3 |
Invasions and migrations |
Ancient Wisdom |
| Offa of Angeln - warriors of King Raedwald! | Ulfhednar England and Weorod. | |
|
3.30 |
Invasion threat 1940: Home Guard training |
The Civil Defenders |
|
|
The Normans |
The Household |
|
|
Early Saxon burial rites |
Wulfingas |
|
Find out about and handle replica Sutton Hoo treasures |
The Sutton Hoo Society |
|
|
4 |
Sutton Hoo’s warriors and soldiers through the ages |
Various groups |
|
5 |
Living history & event close. |
All |
Ongoing activities 10am to 5pm:
|
Activity |
Performer(s) |
|
Living history |
Various groups |
|
Saxon Scriptorium and children’s activities |
Hands on History |
|
1939 archaeological site – find out about archaeology and try your hand at it! |
The National Trust |
|
Mini tours of the burial mounds |
The Sutton Hoo Society |
|
Victorian Archaeologists (at selected times of the day) |
The Chaterlaines |
|
An exhibition about Basil Brown, discoverer of the Sutton Hoo treasure, with Chris Durrant available to answer your questions |
Chris Durrant |
|
Children's activities including making a Sutton Hoo mask or WWII gas mask* |
Earley Days |
|
Sea shanties and folk songs |
Des Tighe and Jed Stone |
|
Have a go archery* |
Live By the Arrow |
|
Face painting (Sat only)* |
Shirley Osborne |
|
Information and membership |
The National Trust |
|
Historical traders |
Various |
* A small charge applies.
Admission prices
National Trust members: Adult £4.00, Child £2.00, Family £10.00
Non-members: Adult £10.50, Child £5.40, Family £26.45
With the event offering excellent value for money for National Trust members, this should once again prove an excellent reason for numerous non-member visitors to join, saving money, but also in doing so assisting this worthy organisation in its objectives.
15 historic traders will be present. We regret that no more pitches are now available. Pitches are limited and as usual preference were given to traders who utilise period tents or otherwise attractively presented stands.
Please click for further details of trading opportunities at this and other EventPlan events.
Important Health and Safety information – please note
For your safety and that of others, always follow these simple rules during events on site:
In the unlikely event of an emergency, please stay calm and follow instructions given over the public address system and by stewards.
Historical displays can be dangerous! Do not cross tape barriers!
All children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Take care not to trip, slip or fall on site. Beware of slopes and tent guy lines.
Keep clear of camp fires. These are real and often cooking hot food. Don’t touch!
Do not - and do not let your children - pick anything up in the living history areas unless specifically invited to do so by the re-enactors. The weapons and cooking knives are real and can be dangerous in untrained hands!
Please beware of moving vehicles in the car parking area.
Visiting
Sutton Hoo
View the National Trust's web pages about Sutton Hoo, one of the most important archaeological sites in this country and often described as "Page one of English History". On a spur of land overlooking the River Debden, one of several large mounds was excavated in 1939, revealing the now famous treasures including a warrior's helmet, shield and gold ornaments in the remains of a burial chamber of a 90 foot ship. The exhibition hall houses a full-size reconstruction of the burial chamber and tells the story of how its treasures lay undisturbed for over 1,300 years. The burial mounds form part of the 245 acre estate. The site walks include estuary views, heathland and woodland trails. Cafe/Resturant on site.
How to get there
By road
Bus services
By train
Ordnance survey reference
A brief history of re-enactment
Interested in how and why re-enactment has become so popular in recent years? Click on the link to read a history of re-enactment.
Other events 2009
Click here for details of many other historical events organised by EventPlan during 2009.
|
Back to Events 2009 Links to EventPlan Home Page EventPlan News |
Updated 5 August 2009