Lanark's William Wallace festival this weekend

There will be an international flavour to this weekend's William Wallace Medieval Festival in Lanark.
History festival will again feature battle re-enactments and combat demonstrations, in the medieval camp in Delves ParkHistory festival will again feature battle re-enactments and combat demonstrations, in the medieval camp in Delves Park
History festival will again feature battle re-enactments and combat demonstrations, in the medieval camp in Delves Park

Radek Ostrcil, aka The Wooden Knight, is coming all the way from Olomouc in the Czech Republic, to be part of the May 14-15 event.

The festival in Delves Park is being organised by Lanark Community Development Trust.

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Visitors to the park will be able to step back in time to May 1297, to the days when William Wallace lived in Lanark, just a few hundred yards from Delves Park.

Specialist historical re-enactors from across Britain, from the north of Scotland to Cambridgeshire, will portray how Wallace and his countrymen lived in those days.

A large living history encampment gives an opportunity to speak to historical specialists, experts of that era. Step into their camp and see how they lived, slept and ate.

Knights, their ladies and retainers will be only too happy to answer your questions about life in those turbulent medieval days.

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Watch the knights being dressed and armed for battle, and then take part in combat demos in the arena.

Children can take part in a free costume-making workshop, making their own outfits as knights and ladies.

Birds at the falconer’s mews will, weather permitting, give flying displays during both days. Talks and displays are by experts from Carmichael-based Rhuallan Raptors.

Archery played an important part in medieval warfare so naturally there is also a chance for the public to try their hand at this ancient pursuit, under expert guidance.

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And a group of medieval musicians will even teach you some of the dance steps from that era! On Sunday there will be a medieval choir.

Admission to the park is free, and events run from 10am-4pm on Saturday, and from 11-4 on Sunday. (For SatNav users Delves is ML11 9DZ)

Outside the park, events continue in Lanark town centre, with the popular Broomgate Street Market, with over 25 stalls selling goods including crafts, cheese, jewellery, glass and pottery.

And in the same part of the town, CRUK Lanark, which has been raising money for cancer research in the town for almost 50 years, and the newly formed Parkinson’s Group have got together to offer tea and coffee with homebaking and soup, in St Nicholas Church Hall on Saturday.

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And on Sunday CAVLP Heritage have free experimental archaeology sessions, including traditional tile-making and ceramics workshops. Contact [email protected] / 01555 661 555 for details.

Fingers crossed now for good weather!

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