Greetings!

Welcome to the SU page for the Re-enactment Society. We're an inclusive society for those who need a good history fix, a friendly place to hang out, or just want to try something new! We're always excited to introduce new people to the hobby, so feel free to come give it a go!

What's all this about then?

Simply put, we re-enact early medieval history, from the Battle of Hastings through to the mid-13th century! At events we attend, we are usually part of a living history encampment where we show members of the public a variety of skills and crafts from the time period such as fletching, sewing, and food preparation, to name only a few, all whilst dressed in clothing of the period.  At these events, we also participate in combat displays which can sometimes have hundreds of people on the field at the same time! We typically meet biweekly, with a Thursday crafts session, and a Saturday combat training session.

That all sounds fun, but do I have to do everything?

Not at all. Whilst we encourage people to have a go at everything we offer, if you decide that something isn't for you then this hobby has many other avenues that can be explored. We are part of a very large society with a lot of expereince and knowledge, so we can almost certianly cater to your interests. 

Sounds good but it also sounds expensive.

We have a selection of kit that we can lend out to new people to use including clothes, weapons, and footwear. If you decide that re-enactment is for you, then we have the skills and knowledge to guide you along the journey of getting your own kit. Whilst there is obviously a cost to you getting your own kit together, no one expects you to do this. At our craft sessions, we can help you make your kit yourself (which saves money), and by spreading purchases out over time this hobby isn’t as expensive as it might seem on the surface. Beyond membership fees, we do not enforce any monetiray commitemnets for you. It is entirely up to you what you spend and when, we understand student life is expensive enough already!

Ok, so what would joining let me do?

We typically have two weekly sessions. One midweek session focused on crafting, and one weekend session that is combat focused. We also do some weekend craft sessions which allow us to do some of the bigger craft projects that we might not be able to do in a midweek session (such as painting shields, leatherwork and making large garments). In these sessions, we teach you the skills you will need to make your own clothing and equipment and partake in combat.

Our first crafts session will be on Thursday the 26th of September, 18:30 - 21:00 in ATT 002, and our first combat training session will be on Saturday the 28th of September, 12:00 - 16:00 in the Viking Field, Oadby. See the events section of this page for more information.

We also make trips to re-enactment markets such as The Original Reenactors Market (TORM) and the Cambridge Living History Fair. These are prime opportunities to get some first-hand experience of the re-enactment world.

We take part in events around the country. These are the highlight of the hobby for many of us. They offer us a chance to meet up with other groups, interact with the public and immerse ourselves in a full living history set up with crafts and camping. Often a show will have a combat slot where we recreate either a hypothetical event from the past, a tournament of competing knightly households or re-enacting an actual historical battle such as the Battle of Hastings. 

We already have a few shows lined up over the next year that you can take part in:

• 12th-13th October 2024 - The Battle of Hastings: This is an annual event every October and is the largest medieval re-enactment in the country with hundreds of reenactors on the field. The site of the event is in the shadow of Battle Abbey on the site where the historical battle was fought.
• 19th October 2024 - Day show in New Lubbesthorpe: The society will set up an authentic tent and table for 3 hours and interact with the public. This includes talking to the public about the time period we reenact, running knight school for youngsters and a combat display.

There will also be training weekends where we get together with other groups and take part in larger scale combat training as well as getting practice in for displays in living history. 

 

How do I join?

We have student memberships and Alumni/Non-student memberships available. The first 4 sessions are free and then you will be required to join the student Society. To partake in combat past the first four sessions you will need to join the external society we work with, Stronghold Reenactment, for the cost of £25 for a year’s membership. The bulk of this money is spent on covering insurance that is necessary to take part in events. The rest is spent on organising transport, and the maintenance and purchase of kit.

Where do I find out more

You can join our Discord Server, which is regually used to host online discussions, get announcements about events and changes to normal sessions, and acts as a place for us to share digital resources.
We also have Instagram and Facebook accounts, so feel free to DM with any questions! https://www.instagram.com/uol_reenactment_society/
We also have an email (uol_reenactment_society@outlook.com) which we can also be contacted on.

Link for Discord Server 
https://discord.gg/jF5fD7gXDZ 

 

Who are the committee?

President: Jed Hazzard (They/Them)
Treasurer: Cara Dixon (She/Her)
Wellbeing and Inclusivity Officer: Ruth Pattison (She/Her)

 

Photos