Having won the Living History Competition at the Herstmonceux Medieval Festival the previous year, the pressure was on the group to raise our standards again for 2006. So rising to the challenge saw the introduction of Aphrodite Leggits Bath Tent, a hospital of The Knights of St.Johns at Poling, a privy (with some very authentic smells...a recipe handed down by Sussex Tinkers no less), and a hurdle maker. Although the Saturday saw a steady stream of visitors, the Sunday saw a positive invasion and swamping of the encampment. With arrow extractions, armour cleaning, and some frequent users of the privy (none of whom paid for using the authentic "bottom wipes"!!!) the "siege camp" really came to life. It was a tremendous team effort, and despite some pretty adverse conditions, we were declared the 2006 living History Competition Winners! Unfortunately, the majority of the group were forced to leave the festival site over the Sunday night and early Monday morning ( click here to see the e-mail sent to Gilly Geisler, the festival organiser), and, as a consequence, I took the decision to return the £500 prize money. The encampment, despite the terrain, weather, and lack of space, proved a great success, and everyone put a tremendous amount of time and effort to making it look so good. Once again, the knights and men-at-arms of the Household took part in the sieges and battles around the castle. Although we had 3 new members, and several suffering from bad backs, heat, and general exhaustion, the line, again, never broke (see the photos on the web site)...although several Czechs managed to outflank us, and chased me (the Household banner bearer) half way round the battle-field, what little dignity I had left was saved by Lord Hartley. My thanks to him for coming to my assistance. What really impressed me again was the team spirit, and "sticking together policy" that prevailed throughout the weekend. When we were finally scripted to die on the Sunday afternoon, everyone was within touching distance of the banner, and what a heroic last stand it was! My thanks to the Czechs and the Irish groups for giving us such a good scrap, and to members of the Free Company who stood with us on the Sunday...their support was greatly appreciated.
A big thank you to all who took part, and to those who supplied support and assistance for the displays we had...I think we all recognised it was a strange weekend for all of us, in so many ways, but to have done what we did, with all the factors against us, was really impressive.
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