A selection of short articles about previous events in the Shire.
Walpurgisnacht, or T’was the Night before May Day
Saturday 30th April 2011, 2pm
Hargrave Hall, Archway
Hargrave Road, London, N19 5SP
We Celebrated the return of spring in traditional medieval style, with maypole dancing, singing and feasting.
The evening included a potluck feast, traditional SCA dancing, and performances from the Thamesreach Singers & Musicians.
Come along and merry meet in May! Please bring a bunch of flowers to help with the decorations and bedecking.
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Heraldry Revel
14th May 2011, 2pm
Hargrave Hall, Archway
Hargrave Road, London, N19 5SP
Need help choosing, designing, blazoning, conflict-checking or submitting? Want to produce something colourful or shiny using your arms? Join us for an afternoon of heraldry bookwork and arts & crafts.
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Outdoor Revel
Saturday 25th June 2011, 2pm
Outdoor Venue TBA; Hargrave Hall, Archway
Enjoy the summer sunshine – hopefully! – with medieval games and outdoor pursuits in the park. Then join the procession to Hargrave Hall to enjoy our traditional potluck feast.
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A Winter Feast, Saturday 15th January 2011, Place House Hall, Ware, Hertfordshire
Thamesreachers and visitors gathered in the small, beautiful Place House Hall for a splendid feast cooked by Lord Guy de Dinan. A sumptuous meal was consumed, games were played, court was held and the Thamesreach Singers made their debut performance. The atmospheric location, hanging banners and cloven oranges added to the wintry air, and a festive time was had by all.
Feast cooks:Lord Guy de Dinan and Lady Amphelise de Wodeham
A sumptuous feast of dishes drawn from mainly an English and French repertoire.
The Menu
First Course
- A choice of Chicken with Cinnamon and Orange or Pheasant (supplier permitting)
- Maumenya Ryalle, a pair of highly-flavoured dishes. These will be accompanied by a salat and vegetables.
Second Course
- Slices of roast beef with a choice of cameline or mustard sauces
- Pork and Boar Pie
- Mushroom Tarte
- Green Pesan Ryalle
Third Course
- A Stewe of Venison
- Frumenty
- Tarte of Strawberries
Dessert
- Angel’s Food
- Applulmoy
- Wafers
- Divers assortments of fruits and cheeses.
Costume and Dancing Revel – November 27th 2010
In the midst of the current cold snap, the hall was a bit brisk and chilly, so folks who were sewing and cutting in the afternoon stayed bundled up. However, with Master Paul and milady Anne of Wokyngham visiting, there was dancing to do!
And so in addition to working on their own demonstration pieces, they took us through a couple of less-well-known dances like Rufty Tufty, and worked on Rostibolli with me. About 15 people sat down to a sumptuous meal rich in meaty dishes, including
five children – His highness Sir Vitus brought his whole family, including young toddling Thomas.
After dinner we had some impromptu singing – the regular singers in Thamesreach are in the process of finding their voices, and a regular meeting time and place again, and it was a welcome return to some favourite tunes.
And then, hurrah! more dancing! Guided by Master Paul and milady Anne, who strive to lead us and improve our steps so diligently and with good humour.
We covered Petit riens, LyBens Dystonys (2x), Amoroso (3x, once at a very silly pace), Old Mole (a complex and fun Playford dance, 3x that I counted), a performance piece by Anne and Kate, Rostibolli in two variations, and a pavane and galliard to end.
What a splendid way to end our revels, on a cheery and playful note, preparing us all for the Yule Ball.
Many thanks for those who braved the cold to take part, brought dishes to share, and danced with good will and enjoyment. It’s the most fun I’ve had at a revel in ages.
Your servant,
Genevieve la flechiere
signet, Insulae Draconis
Fencing revel, 18 September 2010
Four new fencers in Thamesreach!
The shire of Thamesreach was pleased to host a fencing revel yesterday.
It was attended by 9 fencers, including a guest from the Outlands, Don Domin d’Alcace (visiting with his lady and daughter), and three complete newcomers to fencing, trying out their hand for the first time.
Happily, with Dom Duarte and Lord Nicholas presiding, and Lord Guy assisting, four fencers gained their first authorisations in schlager:
milord Peter of Thamesreach
milady Cecily of Mynydd Gwyn
milady Amphelise de Wodeham (arriving after her first 5k charity run to authorise!)
…and your servant, Genevieve la flechiere
We benefited from a brief impromptu class on lunges according to Capo Fero from don Domin, then some excellent sparring of
two-on-two, filling in as soon as a person died,
two-on-three, and
‘fox and hounds’: where the fox can take any weapons, fighting up to three hounds have single blades, and as soon as the fox is dead, the hounds turn on each other to fight over the corpse. Winner is the next fox.
Dom Duarte and Lords Nicholas and Guy worked with three newcomers (Simon, and Peter and Meg of Muchmead) to give them a chance to try out a mask and weapon.
We then sat down to an evening potluck meal (22 at table), where once more we were saved from starvation by the cooks of the shire. We rounded out the evening with some dancing and excellent conversation.
My thanks to Dom Duarte and Lord Nicholas d’Estleche who travelled to Thamesreach to authorise the shire’s growing force rapier combattants.
Your servant,
Genevieve la flechiere
once more able to take the field in her own defense
Costume Revel – 26th March 2010
Our opening revel of the season (well, after St Ethelburga ands Coronet tourney, anyway!). We have about 20 denizens of the Shire spend an afternoon working on patterns and costumes, from gowns and overgowns to chemises and hose. Plenty of costuming resources and books were on display for consultation, as wel las the ubiquitous laptops and sewing machines.
The feasting was by candlelight, and we were regaled by a sumptuous spread as follows -
Revel Menu
Pommesmoille with small wafers (Thomas)
Chicken Great Pie with Mustard Sauce (Vitus)
Bacon and Chicken tart (Arnault)
Roast Beef with Lord’s Sauce and green salad (Paul & Anne)
Frumenty (Robert)
Simnel Cake (Edith)
Divers Cheeses, Meats, pickles, olives and Breads (Omnes)
Small Cakes with Fruit compote (Basilea)
The site is undergoing renovation, and the improved floor was put to good use with dancing led by milady Anne and Master Paul, with a bransle set and galliards.
Many thanks to ladies Ynes and Anne, and who brought so many useful resources and examples to share about historic clothing. Lord Thomas for his advice on early Mediaeval costume and shoes, and divers others who in their own way helped make a splendid evening.
The 1st Insulae Draconis Coronet Tournament – Gilwell Park, Essex, 19/21 February 2010
Over 160 members of the SCA across the Kingdoms, including the Royalty of the Kingdom of Calontir and that of Drachenwald, gathered to witness a talented field of combatants fighting for the right to be entitled the first Prince and PRincess of Insulae Draconis. This event marked the culmination of several years of hard work in expanding our membership and raising the standards of both game and organisation in these fair lands.
Under the driving guidance of Ladies Edith of Hedingham and Constanza of Thamesreach, a cast of many produced the largest event ever organised by Thamesreach. Dealing with two feast halls, and three sites, a weekend of enjoyable food, dance, fighting, and workshops surrounded the main event.
St Ethelburga’s Feast III – 23rd January 2010
And thus it was that over forty citizens of these Isles gathered in the vaulted nave of St Ethelburga’s Church, once ruined by an IRA bomb, now a centre for peace and understanding. Master Paul de Gorey and Anne Dellar, both experienced and talented dance masters, led the populace in a series of Measures of the Inns of Court of London, as well as more familiar bransles, and other favourites of the Shires.
The feast was provided by the cooks Lord Guy, Master Robert and Lady Edith, ably supported in pastry-making by Ladies Constanza and Basileia, and Lord Asbiorn. Thamesreach’s desire for largesse was held in good order, and the feast below (derived from a combination of recipes from Chiquart and Cariadoc’s Miscellany) was presented –
Frumenty, A Roast of Beef, accompanied by Mustard, Norfolk Fool, Green Pesen Royal, Mushroom Pasties, Bread, An Assortment of Apples and Pears, Tarte of Strawberries, Tarte of Spinage, Rissoles of Pork, Wafers, Meringues and Angels Food
This left the populace well-fed and content. A short Court was held under the gaze of Their Graces Alaric and Nerissa, whereupon first-time visitors to the Shire and kingdom were called up and presented. The Autocrat and cook, Lord Guy was also called up as were Master Robert and Lady Edith, to be congratulated on the spread of food recently provided. The evening then returned to a fine display of singing and dancing before it drew to a close at 10pm.
Lord Guy would like to thank everyone for coming and hopes they enjoyed themselves. He would also like to thank the many members who helped out in their own way in making this a memorable night, and finally HG Nerissa for providing vital transportation.
November Rapier Revel – 28th November 2009
Greetings from your servant Genevieve,
Just a short note to thank all the fine folks who trotted out this past Saturday, transport fu notwithstanding, to help paint and decorate wallhangings, to work on our shire’s fencing skills, and to enjoy a fine potluck meal with the shire of Thamesreach.
A core of seven rapier fighters worked through exercises and drills, building up to an afternoon of combat. As well as individual duels, we also practiced melle fighting in the open, across a barrier and also a bridge battle scenario Excellent training for the events ahead in 2010!
Twenty adults and 5 kids sat down to feast (though ‘sit’ might be a strong term for some young ladies…), which is a very satisfying turnout to end the year.
As usual we were rolling away from the tables, stuffed to the gills on good food, barely able to shuffle through dances, though there seemed always room for more spiced wine and port.
We did, however, manage one kid-friendly dance – an Official Brawle alternating adults and young ladies (aged 4-9), which was very well received. My thanks to the other robust adult dancers (Ynes, Asbjorn and Guy), who stretched their aerobic and power-lifting capacity for the extended rendition of this brawle.
Especial thanks for the Flintheath folk who braved traffic wardens (and dancing instructors, oh noes!) to share their fencing expertise, and willingly measures and marked muslin hangings and stamped with goodwill.
If this first try at stamping a diapered pattern is any example, we’ll have a magnificently- decorated hall hung with ‘tapestries’ for the coming coronet tournament, that we can all delight in.
Much toasting of our newest Peer, Master Robert of Canterbury was to be had and a convivial evening of conversation and dancing brought the 2009 season of Thamesreach revels to a close.
