Award-winning Canadian author Judith Silverthorne set to visit Malmesbury for the spectacular ‘Living History Weekend’.
On Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15, 2014, the historic and beautiful town of Malmesbury will be the stage for the spectacular Living History weekend.
This free weekend event will showcase daily life in the 17th century.
• More than 200 professional re-enactors will ‘take over the town’ dressed in period costume and present true to life activities including:
o 17th-century market stalls, artisans, traders, craftspeople and a Barber Surgeon
o Muster & drill demonstrations and children’s drill session in Malmesbury Abbey’s Cloister Gardens
o Lodging of colours and recruiting parties in the Grade 1 listed, 15th-century Market Cross area
o Artillery talk by Roger Emmerson, General of Artillery: 17th Century Ordinance.
o Officer’s dining – food demonstration
• Exciting historical events will be re-enacted from the civil war period when the town changed hands seven times! The highlight of the weekend will be a re-enactment of the 1644 skirmish, performed by the outstanding Civil War Society’s regiment of Colonel Nicholas Devereux’s Regiment of Foote.
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Background Information
The date for the weekend coincides with June 14, 1644, 370 years ago, when Colonel Nicholas Devereux took up residence in Abbey House, and garrisoned his Regiment of Foote in the town.
This is the first ever Malmesbury Living History event, and is a community project bringing together resources from the Athelstan Museum, the Warden & Freemen, Malmesbury Town Council, Malmesbury Civic Trust and the Malmesbury and District Chamber of Commerce.
The re-enactors will visit local schools and talk to students about life at the time, and an ongoing educational package is planned for use in the Athelstan Museum’s educational outreach programme.
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Judith Silverthorne – Canadian author
Judith is planning to visit Malmesbury during the Living History weekend to carry out research for her latest adult historical novel. She is particularly interested in the daily life, terms and artefacts used then and during battles in the 17th century, and information about the treatment and survival of women during this time period. Judith is a multiple-award winning Saskatchewan-based author of several children’s novels, including one translated into Japanese, and two non-fiction adult books. She has also written several hundred articles and columns for newspapers and magazines and worked as an editor, evaluator, researcher, curator, book reviewer, television documentary producer and scriptwriter, and arts administrator. She has presented hundreds of reading and writing workshops at libraries, schools and other educational institutions, and at conferences.
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Coverage by Sky TV
Sky TV will be filming in Malmesbury during the event as they are making a documentary on the re-enactors for their Yesterday Historical Channel.
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Links:
Event Website: www.malmesburylivinghistory.co.ukJudith Silverthorne, author: www.judithsilverthorne.caColonel Nicholas Devereux Civil War Re-enactment Group: www.devereuxs.org.ukAthelstan Museum: www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk
