Loudoun Hill 2015
this is the first gig of the year for the Swords of Dalraida,  the battle of Loudoun hill.
The Battle of Loudoun Hill was fought in May 1307 between a Scots force led by Robert Bruce and the English commanded by Aymer de Valence. It took place beneath Loudoun Hill, in Ayrshire, and ended in a victory for Bruce. It was Bruce's first major military victory. The battlefield is currently under research to be included in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland and protected by Historic Scotland.

 

                        Adam joined us in his first live

                                    re enactment Battle and loved every minute.

back left to right,  David(Potsie), me, Craig, Brian
front left to right, Paul, Adam, Kevin.

Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall (Latin: Vallum Aelium) was a defensive fortification in the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 during the rule of emperor Hadrian. In addition to its military role, gates through the wall served as customs posts.^[1]
A significant portion of the wall still exists and can be followed on foot along the Hadrian's Wall Path. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England

In AD 78 the emperor Vespasian appointed the famous general Agricola as governor of the unruly province of Britain. After seven years of vigorous campaigning, Agricola had succeeded in subduing the south of the island, and had advanced far into Scotland. But he never conquered the ferocious and uncivilized tribes of Picts and Scots who then inhabited that part of the country.

Agricola built a temporary frontier, guarded by a line of posts, along a line between the present Solway Firth and the mouth of the Tyne. About 30 years after Agricola's departure, however, the southern tribes became dangerously restive, and in one of their risings the 9th legion at York, consisting of from 3,000 to 6,000 Roman soldiers, was massacred. After this, in 122 the emperor Hadrian came to Britain with another legion to replace the 9th and gave orders that the defense of the island should be reorganized and the south separated from the north by a wall running from coast to coast. He entrusted the building of this wall to the governor Aulus Platorius Nepos.       

In 2013 we had a really cool weekend, with the Swords of Dalradia at Hadrian's Wall.

Something New to Do For Re enactment

The first year I started doing re-enactment it was great just to be involved in the group and learn the ropes and most newbies start in the kitchen in our group, (see earlier posts) but I wanted to do a bit more of the history I love.

At most "gigs" as we call them which is where the group is invited to a town fair or festival to show the people about history, there is two kinds of show the group does,

The Battle re-enactment   as the name suggests is the fight, warriors display the armour, weapons and fighting styles that were used in that period.

                               
                             The Battle of Bannockburn ( 1314 Medieval)

The  Living History   This is where the group shows the visitors the everyday history  or how the people would have lived in that time period.

 

The village church at Largs (Vikings 1263)

 

Penny and I are interested more in the Living History part of Re-enactment

so we thought we would leave most of the fighting to the young lads.

I took on the role of a monk or Priest for the village. so I could teach visitors to the Largs village about history.

 

 

The White Monks, in reference to the colour of the "cuccula" or white robe worn by the Cistercians over their habits, -as opposed to the black robe worn by the Benedictine monks. The original emphasis of Cistercian life was on manual labour and self-sufficiency, and many abbeys have traditionally supported themselves through activities such as agriculture. Over the centuries, however, education and academic pursuits came to dominate the life of their monasteries

2nd year at Largs

This is a few photos from our second year at the Largs Viking festival with The Swords Of Dalradia, this time I was able to convince penny, my wife, to come along and get involved too, now she is just as hooked on re enactment as I am.

 

Penny is great at making realistic period clothing for each of the time periods our group covers which are 13th century Vikings ( battle of Largs), Iron Age Celts (Hadrian's Wall) and Medieval Scotland ( Bannockburn).

Largs Viking Village

I had a load of time on my hands so I got involved with a re enactment group for a week and really loved it!

 

me in viking kit with a harris hawk

 

 

 new starts in the kitchen,

 suites me fine nobody can eat better than me!

 

 

I turned from kitchen help,

 

 

  to kitchen slave

 

 

so that's me tied to the kitchen sink

 

 while Im here going nowwhere I can tell visitors about the viking kitchen

 

but the team The Swords of Dalriada did let me free for the battle scene

 

 

 I ended my time in the viking age with the boat burning night we walked in prossesion along the shore front and burned a viking long ship.

 

I had the best time ever, I so want to do it again!!!!!

 

 

Back to Buchan (Deer Abbey)

I'm Heading Home to See Mum and  Dad,

groovy Gold bus! well done Penny! booking me in style.

I left Glasgow, Aberdeen here we come !

fields                                                                                           more fields

 the North sea ( the grey bit, no the other grey bit, sea see)

A Flyby of Stiling Castle (on the hill, too late ya missed it)



 

 History yea!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Deer Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Buchan, Scotland.^[1] It was founded by 1219 AD with the patronage William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan,^[2] who is also buried there. There was an earlier community of Scottish monks or priests. The notitiae on the margins of the Book of Deer record grants made to the Scottish religious community in the 12th century and a claim that it was founded by Saint Columba and Saint Drostan.^[3] The old religious community was probably absorbed by the new foundation.  

 Mum, Dad and me in Deer Abbey, I grew up two miles from here and have never been to see it ?

The Book of Deer

Another reason I wanted to go to Deer Abbey was that this is where the book of Deer was made!

this book is the  Pictish idea of the Book of Kells, an Ancient Celtic book, like the bible that the monks in Ireland and Scotland made in the earliest days of Christianity in Scotland.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Deer

We'er at Dundonald Castle

Dundonald Castle

Very steep to the Keep!

 we stand at the door and knock!

 Penny sorting lunch! Kids Having Fun!

wheres  Sean?

 History (Yesssssss!)

 click to enlarge

more Castles Coooool!

Sean's drawing of Dundonald Castle.