Nobody can deny that re-enactment kit is expensive and most re-enactors invest a great deal of capital into it. With this in mind, it’s definitely helpful to keep your kit maintained so it lasts as long as possible. In this series of posts, we’ll show you how to maintain medieval re-enactment kit so it looks terrific for as long as possible.
Continue reading “Guide: Kit maintenance – Fabric and clothing”
Cardiff Castle Garrison provides an authentic hot lunch cooked in our living history camp at many of our shows. For anyone interested in trying their hand at cooking for the group, or those who’d like to know a bit more about cooking authentically in camp, read on!
Following on from our camp cooking guide, here is a list of common modern foods which were unavailable in fourteenth-century Britain. This list is by no means comprehensive, but is intended to cover most of the basics.
Continue reading “Guide: Modern foods unavailable in 14th Century Britain”
During the 14th Century, it was normal for adult men to go out in public with their heads covered, in much the same way as Orthodox Jewish men often wear some form of head covering when outside today. In the 14th Century men would commonly cover their hair with coifs, hats, or hoods. Later in the century chaperons also started to appear.
This post will focus on the different headcoverings available to people of various classes during the 14th Century, and will show both historical images and modern recreations as worn by members of the Garrison. It will focus exclusively on civilian headwear and will not look at military helmets.
Why cover the hair?
There were many considerations which influence the abundance of headcoverings for men. Apart from religious motivations, covering your head was a vastly practical thing to do: it helped keep hair more hygienic by protecting it from wood smoke and also limited the spread of lice. In warm weather, lightweight brimmed hats kept the sun off and in winter a heavyweight woolen hoods helped keep the wind and the rain out and kept one warm.
Coifs
Coifs were the most basic form of headwear for men in the fourteenth century, and were either worn on their own or are occasionally depicted in manuscripts worn in conjunction with hats and hoods. They were typically made of unbleached and undyed linen (which allowed them to be washed frequently), as they come in direct contact with the body. At the beginning of the century, coifs were worn by a wide cross section of society from the very poorest to wealthy individuals. The main difference between lower- and higher-class coifs was the quality of fabric used to make them, with lower-class coifs made from unbleached, coarse linen, and higher-class coifs made of bleached, finer linen.
Coifs can be worn in conjunction with hats and hoods as the linen would absorb sweat and grease from the hair. This would stop it from soaking into the (coloured) wool of the hat or hood, which needed to be washed as little as possible to stop the dye from fading.
During the 14th Century, use of coifs decreased dramatically amongst the upper echelons of society and coifs were more likely to be seen on poorer individuals or those who needed to appear respectable and/or conservatively dressed, for example physicians and lawyers. You can see parallels of this today with lawyers even now wearing more formal clothes than the average person (you would also probably be more likely to trust a lawyer wearing a suit than a pair of jeans). Although coifs were much rarer by the end of the 14th Century amongst all class, they did persist well into the 15th Century.
Hats
Hats were also common headgear for 14th Century men and were worn by all classes of society. Straw hats were one of the most basic types of hat, and were generally wide-brimmed and used to protect the head and neck from the sun. Pilgrim hats were also common, in a wide-brimmed style similar to a basic straw hat. These hats were worn as a practical garment to keep out sun and rain whilst on pilgrimage. They were made of felted wool in various colours and often had some kind of religious adornment. For example some had one side of the brim pinned up with a pilgrim badge – an accessory which commemorated an individual’s pilgrimage. Other kinds of felted hat were also worn for a variety of activities, for example the “bycocket”, a style of felted hat often worn for hunting.
Note: it is not necessary for Garrison members to wear a hat in conjunction with a coif unless they wish to. It is difficult to know how common the usage of coifs in conjunction with hats is, whilst there are some depictions of them worn in this style hats worn alone seem to be more common.
Hoods
Hoods were an outer-layer woolen garment worn by both men and women. Unlike today, they were a separate item of clothing and not attached to the main outer garment such as the coat or cloak. There are some differences between men and women’s hood styles. Men’s hoods did not always have a front opening because they did not need to be worn in conjunction with veiling as women’s hoods were. Hoods were worn by people of all stations and men’s hoods were often highly decorated with fashionable features such as dagging, liripipes, embroidery and applique. Hoods appear to quickly replace the coif from the very beginning of the 14th Century and by its end were the most abundant type of headwear, worn by all classes. In the late 14th Century, hoods begin to be worn by younger men in more daring and, to modern eyes, somewhat bizarre styles, apparently for the sake of fashion. It is theorised that this is where the later so-called ‘chaperon’ style comes from.
Note: again, it is not necessary for Garrison members to wear a hood in conjunction with a coif unless they wish to – perhaps if they are depicting someone from a more old-fashioned profession such as a physician.
Chaperons
From the mid-14th Century, some fashionable men took to wearing their hoods in a style now known as a ‘chaperon’. To do this, the face opening was rolled back before being placed on the head like a hat. The liripipe was then wrapped around the hood to create a decorative shape.
As time progressed, this style became more exaggerated until, in the 15th Century it developed into a hat consisting of a stuffed roll of fabric with trailing vestiges of the liripipe and cape.
Garrison Members’ Hats
A coif:
A straw hat:
A pilgrim’s hat:
A hood, worn conventionally:
The same hood, worn chaperon style:
Note: While we have attempted to find images as date- and regional-appropriate as possible, it was necessary to make some concessions due to the lack of available public domain images, therefore some of these images as from as early as 1250. However, in all cases, the styles of headwear they depict are well represented in mid to late 14th Century British manuscripts.
A list of recommended items to bring to Cardiff Castle Garrison weekend shows. For more information about what to expect at weekend shows please see this post.
– Fourteenth century kit (clothes). If you do not yet have the required kit, please ensure you contact our Living History Officer to arrange this, either on Facebook or by emailing cardiffcastlegarrison@outlook.com. Note that it may be possible to borrow clothing if you ask sufficiently in advance.
– Weather-suitable clothing: We are often camping on grass at shows, which can get muddy, temperatures can get a little cold at night, and there can be rain. Please bring suitable clothing for this such as a warm coat or jumper, a waterproof jacket, and trainers or walking boots to ensure you do not get caught out by the weather.
– Bedding: If you are staying overnight at a show, either in a group tent or your own modern tent, then please bring your own bedding with you. A recommended minimum is a three-season sleeping bag and a roll mat as the ground can get very chilly at night. Extra pillows and blankets are also useful, especially in spring and autumn.
– Toiletries: Show locations do not usually have showers but sinks are usually available with hot running water. Wet wipes are useful for washing and please ensure you bring a general wash bag with items including a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, deodorant, etc. Women will also need to consider bringing sanitary supplies as there are not always sanitary dispensers in the toilets on-site.
– Suncream: please bring suncream to Garrison shows! It is surprising how strong the sun can be when you’re out in it all day (even if it doesn’t feel that warm). If appropriate for your impression, you may also wear a straw hat.
– Food: at almost all multi-day shows the group provides a hot meal and snacks of bread, cheese, and fruit to nibble throughout the day. However, it is a good idea to bring your own food to supplement this as the group do not provide breakfast or supper. Many members bring snack foods like crisps and chocolates and sports drinks. Please note that if your food is inauthentic to the fourteenth century then you will be asked to eat it out of sight, e.g. in one of the tents. Authentic food that can be easily brought to shows includes fruit (apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and currants were commonplace, and more luxury items include dried fruits, pomegranates and oranges), pies and pasties, quiches, and pre-cooked meats such as salami and ham.
We always love to see new members at shows. If you have any questions at all feel free to email us at cardiffcastlegarrison@outlook.com or join us on Facebook.
Everyone is welcome at shows, as long as they are a paid-up member of the Garrison (necessary for insurance purposes), and have the minimum 14th Century kit (clothes) required. If you don’t have this yet, don’t worry. You can contact our Secretary to arrange membership, which can even be done just before or at the show if necessary. You can also contact our Living History Officer to find if it will be possible to borrow kit. To message either, please email cardiffcastlegarrison@outlook.com.
Show Features and Facilities
Show features and facilities vary from show to show, from small tabletop displays in modern locations to full living history encampments in historic locations with authentic tents, cookery, textile craft, arms and armour displays, and archery and combat ranges. Please see the appropriate Garrison Facebook events page for details of what each show will contain.
Types of Show
Garrison shows fall into two categories: single-day shows and multiple-day shows.
Single-day shows take place over one day with no overnight camping. They are usually set up on the morning of the show before it starts and taken down that evening after it finishes.
Multiple-day shows take place over several days, usually weekends, with camping options for members overnight. Set up takes place the night before the show’s first day, and take down on the evening of the show’s last day.
Camping Options
Camping is usually either in authentic group tents or in members’ personal plastic (modern) tents. At most of our multiple-day shows we provide authentic group tents for members to sleep in. These are usually divided into girls’ and boys’ tents and members provide their own bedding. If you would like a place in one of these tents or would like to check if they will be at an event, click through to the event page on our Facebook group and comment, or email us at cardiffcastlegarrison@outlook.com.
Alternatively, if space is permitting, members are welcome to pitch their own tents at shows. However, please note that unless the venue has a separate ‘plastic’ camping area, all modern tents must be completely packed away while shows are open to the public, usually from around 9a.m. til 5p.m. Members are then welcome to re-pitch their plastic tent each evening.
Set-up
The Garrison owns many large pieces of kit necessary for shows including tents, fireboxes, tables, benches, etc. which must be transported from our storage facility to the show location and then be set up there prior to the show’s opening. At many shows, we rely on members to volunteer to transport this kit and at all shows we rely on members to set up the camp. Therefore, we ask all members attending an event to help with set-up arrangements (typically on the evening before the first day of a multiple-day event) if this is possible.
Set-up logistics vary from show to show. Instructions will be included on the event page for the specific show on the Garrison’s Facebook group closer to the event date, so check on Facebook for this information.
Generally, some volunteer members pick up kit from storage with their vehicles and take it to the show’s location the night before a multiple-day show or on the morning of a single-day show, and other members meet them there to help set everything up.
Volunteers at set-up help to pitch our authentic tents, set out our fire and cooking equipment and set out our furniture including benches and tables. Additionally, on the morning of each event members set up our living history displays. Experienced member(s) will be on-site every day and can will instruct any new members on how to help. There will also be committee members on-hand to help you out as well.
Show Activities
The Garrison generally provide a living history camp which contains several authentic tents and several living history displays such as textile crafts, weapons and armour or archery. Our members run these displays throughout the day, showcasing reproduction items and authentic skills to the public and answering their questions.
Please don’t worry if you don’t yet know enough to give a display as we’ll teach you everything you need to know during shows. New members are welcome to assist with any displays that interest them or, for their first show, just sit and listen to the experienced members and pick up information.
Food
At almost all multiple-day events, the Garrison provide an authentic hot meal each day for participating members, which is cooked as part of our cooking display. Vegetarian and other special dietary options can be catered for if given sufficient notice – please email cardiffcastlegarrison@outlook.com and the committee will pass your requirements on to the cook(s).
At multiple-day events, we also provide authentic snacks during the day including bread, cheese and various fruits.
Plenty of water is always available during our shows.
Members are also welcome to bring their own food and/or drink during shows. However, if your food is inauthentic then please eat it out of sight, for example in one of the tents! Note also that alcohol may not be drunk whilst the show is open to the public or in the morning before the public arrive.
Combat
A few of our shows include re-enactment battles and/or fighting displays given to members of the public. Details of these may be found on the Facebook event page for the specific show.
To take part in combat or battles, Garrison members need to have passed the basic combat test given by the Training & Displays Officer and have the minimum amount of kit required to take part. For more information, please see our Introduction to Combat and Basic Combat Test posts.
Archery
Some of the Garrison’s events will have the option to do archery displays, have-a-go archery with the public or shooting in battles.
To be able to do this you must have passed your basic archery test and for archery displays and battles have your own archery equipment which has been passed by the Training & Displays Officer. Some shows will have the opportunity to do archery training after hours, which will be put on at the discretion of the Training & Displays Officer.
Take-down
At the end of a show, all Garrison camp equipment needs to be taken down and transported back into storage. As with set-up, there are only volunteer Garrison members available to do this, so we ask all members who attended the show to help with this after shows if it is possible.
Professional Attitude
The Garrison is hired by event organisers to run a 14th Century re-enactment display at public shows. Members therefore need to act in a professional manner at all times, abide by Garrison rules and not commit any actions during these events which may bring the group into disrepute. Please have a quick read though the Garrison Code of Conduct before you attend your first event. It is available in the members-only section of this website or by emailing cardiffcastlegarrison@outlook.com.
Shows can seem daunting at first; but please don’t worry, our committee members will be on hand to help you as much as we can. If you have any problems, experienced members will be available and you can speak to them, or any committee members, about any issues you may have. Garrison loves new members and we’d be really happy to see you at shows!
Anyone who wishes to take part in combat displays or battle re-enactments with the Cardiff Castle Garrison will need to pass the basic combat test before being allowed onto the field. Below is a copy of the official basic combat test document. The test is intended to ensure that anyone who wishes to fight is able to do so safely, but also in a convincing manner, making their displays look real while minimising the risk of injury both to themselves and to others. Anyone wishing to take the test please contact the combat captain, either at Garrison social or training sessions or by emailing cardiffcastlegarrison@outlook.com.
Though the test can seem daunting at first, it is not as difficult as it sounds, and the combat captain will teach you all the skills necessary to pass the test within Garrison’s Thursday combat training sessions, and will ensure that you have the potential to pass before testing you.
If you have any questions about the test then feel free to contact the combat captain.
The Basic Combat Test
Initial Notes
The Cardiff Castle Garrison (CCG) requires any members or guest members wishing to take part in combat displays or battle re-enactments to pass the Basic Combat Test.
This test aims to ensure combatants are physically and mentally competent and can produce convincing displays. This involves fighting safely whilst acting with ‘deadly character’ (i.e. they must look as if they are intended to kill / injure), both when giving and receiving shots. Thus, blows will look ‘real’ but the risk of injury to the combatant, their opponent(s) and any observers will be at a minimum.
The test will be administered by the CCG Combat Captain (CC) or an appointed representative. The CC may request the assistance and / or advice of other experienced fighters at his / her discretion.
The decision to pass or fail a candidate is made solely by the CC, though s/he may request the advice of experienced fighters at his/her discretion.
If the candidate passes the Basic Combat Test with their weapon of choice, they will be permitted to take part in any subsequent combat displays. This test is not an unlimited pass for combat with any weapon. If the candidate wishes to fight with a different weapon, or with a combination of weapons and / or shield, the CC may require the candidate to pass the Basic Combat Test with this/these weapon(s). Additionally, if at any later date the candidate’s competence at fighting falls below the standards required for this test the candidate may be barred from fighting in any combat displays or battle re-enactments at the CC’s discretion. The candidate would then have to re-take this test before being permitted to fight in combat displays or battle re-enactments.
If the candidate fails the Basic Combat Test with their weapon of choice, they may re-take the test after a 1 week waiting period. They may not retake the test on the same or next day. Failure of the test with one weapon does not affect any previous passes with different weapons.
The CC will score the candidates out of 10 for each of the sections outlined below. 6 represents a standard pass, 10 excellent, and anything below 5 constitutes a fail of varying degrees down to a score of 1.
A pass or fail will not be announced by the CC until the end of the test. This is to allow a full and fair assessment of all of the candidate’s skills.
In the case of a dangerous situation, the test may be halted immediately by the CC. The CC’s decision on this is final. At one point during the test the CC will shout ‘hold!’ All combatants involved shout stop fighting immediately and disengage from their opponent by withdrawing a pace (if safe to do so). Failure of the candidate to do so in a length of time deemed reasonable by the CC will result in the failure of the test.
At any point and for any reason, the candidate is permitted to request an end to the test.
The Basic Combat Test
The basic test is comprised of a number of sections:
1.1 Kit
The candidate must own or be able to borrow the following:
1. Male soft kit
2. Hand protection, options include:
3. Head protection:
4. Torso portection:
5. Weapons:
6. Shield (if desired)
All kit must be authentic, provide adequate protection against blows and must not impede the candidate’s movement unduly. For further information on authenticity, consult the authenticy officer and the CC.
All kit will be inspected by the CC before the test starts. Inadequate kit may result in failure of the test. If it is a minor issue, e.g. burrs on a weapon, the test may instead be postponed at the CC’s discretion.
1.2 Footwork
The candidate must be able to adopt a fighting stance automatically, without prompting, and use this stance whilst moving (forwards, backwards, circling – all with either foot forwards).
This aspect will not be tested separately but will be monitored throughout the test. An inability to consistently maintain good footwork without tripping or falling will result in failure of the test.
1.3 Standing 8s
The candidate must be able to demonstrate the basic attacks used by the CCG. These are aimed at the designated hit zones:
All blows must be delivered to one of these zones with ‘deadly character’, i.e. they must look as if they are intended to kill / injure. All blows must be strong enough for the opponent to feel but controlled enough to avoid injuring the opponent.
First the candidate will demonstrate the 8 attacks on a shield. Next, the candidate will demonstrate them on an unarmed opponent who will not block. Hitting other zones than those designated, hitting without control, hitting too hard or hitting without ‘deadly character’ will result in failure of the test.
1.4 Moving 8s
The candidate must next demonstrate the 8 attacks whilst moving. A good stance and footwork must be maintained, as must safety and ‘deadly character’.
1.5 Blocks
The candidate must demonstrate the defences for the 8 attacks using their weapon (and / or shield, if appropriate). They must also defend against additional attacks used by other groups, e.g. right and left calf / shin
First, the candidate will block the 8 attacks from an opponent wielding a sword. Next, the candidate will block attacks from other weapons, e.g. spear, single-handed axe, two-handed axe, etc. Failure to block an attack safely or act with ‘deadly character’ will result in failure of the test.
Non-mandatory section, with permission and supervision of the Archery Captain:
If the candidate wishes and is armed with a shield or full plate armour, the candidate may receive missile attacks. This scenario may happen during a re-enactment battle. The candidate should be able to block the shots but should react appropriately if hit in a legitimate zone. Failure to do so will result in a failure of the test.
1.6 Free-form fighting against one opponent
Next, the candidate will fight the CC or another nominated experienced fighter for 2 minutes, or longer at the CC’s discretion.
For the first 90 seconds, both fighters must acknowledge legitimate hits by saying ‘hit’, stepping back from thier opponent, and ‘re-setting’ before continuing to fight (e.g. you cann just say ‘hit’ and carry on attacking your opponent). The CC will indicate when 30 seconds remain. From then on, both fighters will ‘take hits’: a legitimate hit must be responded to, with the one hit acting injured and the other moving in to ‘kill’ with ‘deadly character’. Mutual hits will be recognised but will not result in a ‘kill’ and the fighters should continue after ‘re-setting’.
This part of the test will be conducted in a designated area mimicking the ropes between the display/battle and the audience, testing the candidate’s awareness. The opponent will try to force the candidate and/or their weapon(s) out of this area. The candidate must use circling, etc. to prevent themselves, their opponent or either party’s weapon(s) from going outside of the area.
At some point, the opponent will, without warning, use incorrect hits (e.g. hitting too hard or hitting a non-designated zone). The candidate must react safely and appropriately to this: they must not respond with incorrect hits or act out of character but may acknowledge the hit as wrong (e.g. by saying ‘elbow’ when a hit was intended for the upper arm but hit too low), back off or (if safe) allow the opponent to deliver a ‘killing blow’ and act ‘dead’.
In ‘dying’/‘death’, the candidate must consider the surrounding battlefield and act to protect themselves and others, e.g. by keeping weapon(s) in hand, protecting themselves with their shield (if appropriate), etc.
Failure to act safely and with ‘deadly character’ throughout the ≥2 minutes, responding appropriately to hits and unsafe actions by the opponent, will result in failure of the test.
The candidate must demonstrate that they know the rules resulting in ‘death’ may change depending on the display / battle script, e.g. a select band of warriors may be ‘invincible’ until their leader dies in a scripted fight and thus these opponents will not respond to legitimate hits with ‘death’.
1.7 Free-form fighting against another candidate
The candidate will fight another candidate for 2 minutes in continuous combat. If there is only one candidate taking the test the CC will select a suitable experienced member as an opponent. If this occurs, the experienced fighter will not fight to the maximum extent of their abilities, but to a suitable level to test the candidate.
As above, this part of the test will be conducted in a designated area with hits in the first 90 seconds acknowledged by saying ‘hit’ etc. and hits in the last 30 seconds acknowledged with ‘death’.
As above, failure to act safely and with ‘deadly character’ will result in failure of the test.
1.8 Free-form fighting against multiple opponents
The candidate will fight the CC and / or other nominated experienced fighters for 2 minutes, or more at the CC’s discretion, to test their abilities to respond to multiple opponents. As above, this part of the test will be conducted in a designated area and excessive backing off / retreating as opposed to circling will be deemed to be failing the test due to the restrictions of space on a battlefield.
The first 90 seconds will consist of continuous combat against both / all opponents with fighters acknowledging hits by saying ‘hit’ etc. In the final 30 seconds fighters will acknowledge hits with ‘death’.
As when fighting a single experienced opponent, the opponent(s) will, without warning, use incorrect hits and will try to force the candidate and / or their weapon(s) out of the designated area.
As above, failure to act safely and with ‘deadly character’ will result in failure of the test.
In Cardiff Castle Garrison, you will have the opportunity to take part in medieval re-enactment fighting. You will be able to learn basic and more advanced combat skills in training sessions with us, and also take part in battles with various medieval re-enactment groups from across the country at some of our shows. The following is a brief overview of combat in the Garrison and more detailed information will follow in due course.
Combat with the Garrison is free-form contact fighting, fought with a variety of blunted steel weapons including swords, spears, knives and axes.
Battles and Shows
Cardiff Castle Garrison take part in combat displays for the public at several of our regular shows. These displays take various forms, from choreographed fights between two members to full scale battles with hundreds of participants from numerous medieval re-enactment societies.
Combat training
Cardiff Castle Garrison runs combat training every Thursday at Plasnewydd Community Hall, 2 Shakespeare Street, Cardiff, CF24 3ES, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Anyone is welcome to come to these training sessions, even if you have had no previous martial arts experience, and if you are a new member your first session is free, otherwise training costs are £2.50 per session.
At these training sessions, you will be taught everything that you need to know to take part in combat at Garrison shows and battles. To take part, you will need clothes you can be active and move around comfortably in, and shoes that have grip and non-marking soles. Trainers are recommended.
Please note that you do not need authentic medieval kit for these weekly combat sessions.
Who can train?
Everyone over 16 is welcome at our combat training sessions, though if you are under 18 you need written permission from a parent or guardian to take part.
Note that women are more than welcome to join combat training sessions, and we have several female combatants, but if you are taking part in combat at re-enactment shows you will have to dress in authentic medieval male kit for the duration of the fighting.
Weapons
Garrison uses several fourteenth-century weapons in combat. Here is an outline of the most common. New members do not need to bring any weapons to training sessions, as there are wooden swords available for learning basic strikes and blocks during the first sessions and an opportunity to borrow metal weapons from other group members later on.
Members are also welcome to buy their own metal weapons, if you are interested in doing this, please speak to the combat captain for advice because there are specific requirements for any weapons purchased, as to be used safely they need to be of a certain quality.
Swords
Swords are the standard weapon we train with. There are several types commonly used in the Garrison, from smaller single-hand swords to larger hand-and-a-half swords and heavier falchions.
Daggers
These are another basic weapon that Garrison members use in combat, and are essentially a long knife. These work in a very similar way to swords except they are much shorter, tending to be circa 12 inches long and necessitate a different fighting style due to their shorter range.
Axes
Axes are single-hand weapons that can be used in a few additional ways to swords and daggers. Apart from basic hits and strikes, they may also be used to hook an opponent’s weapons and immobalise them, or hook open their shield, leaving them vulnerable.
Spears
Spears are a type of pole weapon and can either be long or short, with short (single handed) ones being circa 5ft and used either over or under arm in one hand. Long spears (double handed) are between 7 and 9ft long and can be used either individually or as part of a group or formation.
Basic Armour
There are some pieces of armour that are required as a minimum to take part in re-enactment battles or displays. These are outlined below. Please note that you can still come to and take part in training sessions without owning any of these, as the Garrison can lend you a helmet and gloves for practise.
Gambeson
A Gamberson (also known as an Aketon) is a long-sleeved padded jacket that normally goes to mid-thigh that gives protection from hits. It is the base-layer for any additional armour such as chain or plate, and the minimum level of protection required for combat at shows.
Helmet
These can come in various styles with the most common including kettle helms (which look like a WWI British infantry helmet) and the ‘secret helm’ formally known as a Cervelliere, which is a rounded skull cap type. You will be able to borrow one of these from the Garrison to practise with at training sessions.
Re-enforced gloves
These again can be borrowed from the group for training sessions but you will need your own authentic leather or armoured pair for combat displays/battles.
There are other weapons and armour types used in the Garrison and more detailed information on these will follow.
The basic strikes – ‘The eights’
There are 8 basic strikes with each of the weapons: A head shot (which never hits the target), to the right and left upper arms, to the right and left of the torso, the outside of the right and left thighs and an indirect thrust to the torso. These shots aim to make contact with the ‘hit zones’ shown in the image below:
All shots that are to hit the opponent must be made to look like a killing shot (i.e. fast and looking deadly) but must be pulled so as to not hit the opponent hard. We will train you how to do this effectively and safely.
As there are 8 basic strikes there are also 8 basic blocks to counter these. These will be taught alongside the basic strikes.
Basic combat test
If you wish to take part in combat displays or re-enactment battles with the Garrison you will need to pass the basic test with the weapon you intend to use when fighting. You can ask the combat captain to take a basic combat test when you feel you are ready.
Great post for anyone in medieval re-enactment wondering whether an item is appropriate for them.
I and other reenactors often get questions about how we find information, period pictures for inspiration and if there are evidence in the archaeological material for this or that. This is a huge topic, I’m learning still and I cannot possibly cover it with a single post. But I’d like to share some of my thoughts on it, in order to help you answer the recurring question “Can I wear this?” yourself.
Reenactment is about recreating things as close as we can get to the real thing. I believe it is really important to do your best to achieve that. For me this ambition is what makes it challenging but also fun and rewarding. To get as close to the real thing as possible with your medieval gear, you’ll need to start in the right end. Even if an attempt to research may feel intimidating for beginners, it is much…
View original post 1,654 more words
In order for our members to take part in shows they need to have period accurate clothing and footwear. We have therefore compiled a list of trusted traders who will be able to supply you with all the essentials you will need to be able to participate.
New members need a minimum of authentic undergarments and shoes to participate in Garrison shows. For more information on this, please see our clothing page, and contact our Living History Officer, who will be able to tell you what types of fabric you need to order and how much you will need. You can contact them by emailing: cardiffcastlegarrison@outlook.com.
Cloth Merchants
Bernie the Bolt
Bernie is an excellent fabric trader who has a wide range of cloth in stock, his cloth is reasonably priced and has relatively high authenticity standards. Unfortunately Bernie doesn’t have a website which you can order fabric directly from, although he is happy to post samples. He is also available at a number of shows through out the year. His prices range from £6-8 per meter of linen and £7-£15 per meter for wool, he often has a bargain pile which is approximately £2 per meter although these are only sometimes suitable for our period.
Herts Specialist Fabric
Herts is a well-respected supplier of cloth to historical houses, museums and film productions. They have a wide variety of period authentic linen (£7-15 per meter), wool (£7-20 per meter) and silk (£10+ per meter). They also have a small selection of notions like woven braids and silk or linen thread. Their UK postage costs are £10 for up to 25kg of fabric.
Please note: If you are intending to order from Herts Fabric but are put off by the postage costs, it is often worth asking around in the group. Someone else may well wish to order fabric with you, thus bringing down the postage costs.
Shoes
There are several types of shoes and boots which are suitable for the mid-14th Century, and in this guide we will focus on the two main styles. The first is a buckled or tied style similar to modern ‘Mary Janes’, and the second are ankle boots which are laced with leather cord. All of the following traders have been used by the group previously. You can either view their products online or find them at various markets, shows and events through out the year.
Fox Blade Trading
These are the most reasonably priced option and come in standard sizes between 4-13 (although children’s sizes can be ordered). Although not quite as robust as more expensive options, they hold up well to regular use and are very good value for money. We recommend buying one of the following styles:
Kevin Garlick
Kevin Garlick’s shoes are generally highly thought of within our group, with many of us having purchased a pair of shoes from him at some point. Though they are more expensive than some re-enactment shoe traders, they are of a very high quality and many of our members have had pairs last for over a decade. They have the added advantage of being made to measure your feet. This allows for greater customisation of the shoes and they can be made to suit various orthopaedic needs. Understandably, this means that shoes ordered from Kevin Garlick take several months to arrive. However, occasionally he has some shoes in standard sizes. We recommend buying one of the following styles:
Andy Burke
Several of our members have previously bought shoes from this trader. For those of us living in South Wales, he is quite handy, being just up the road from us in Bridgend. We recommend buying one of the following styles:
NP Historical Shoes
NP make excellent shoes. Unlike many other suppliers, NP’s styles are not ‘generic late medieval’ but instead are inspired directly from individual archaeological finds. Additionally, they are hand-sewn as well as being available made-to-measure. Understandably, this makes them more expensive than the other options on this list. However, their quality and research is more than worth it. We recommend buying one of the following styles, a selection of which are shown below: 14/2, 14/3, 14/4, 14/6, 14/7, 14/8, 14/8B, 14/11A, 14/11B, 14/18, 15/1A or 15/1B. They also make suitable pattens (wooden overshoes): we recommend styles P14/2, P14/3, P144 and P14/7.
Please Note: All clothing and equipment needs to be ok’d by our Living History Officer before they may be used at Garrison shows. We therefore strongly recommend members contact them before they buy, to avoid disappointment. If there are any problems, we will be happy to assist you in finding alternative items.
Cardiff Castle Garrison 