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Experience the Past
Experience the Past  |
Regia Anglorum was a term used by early English writers to describe the English state. It means 'The Kingdoms of the English'. In a twentieth century context Regia Anglorum is a nationwide society with many independent local groups, from Scotland to the south coast, who all work within a tight set of common sense rules.
Regia Anglorum attempts to recreate a cross section of English life around the turn of the first millennium. Our actual self imposed brief is AD950 - 1066, although our events may sometimes be set a few decades either side of these dates.
It was a time of great flux and change and, as all our public shows are 'datelined', we can demonstrate the changing fashions of the times. It was a time when Britain was host to many peoples - Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Danes, Norse, Cymry, Viking raiders and even a number of Norman mercenaries - which often led to some misunderstandings amongst their leaders who jockeyed for control and power in this country.
We are not purely a combat society and have come a long way from the old hack and bash image associated with many re-enactment societies. There is always a certain glory to be found in recreating and reliving famous and the not-so-famous battles of times past - but they are not the sum total of history. They are specific points in time which were interspersed by long periods where the people living then, got on with their normal existence which is equally fascinating. In this way, we are not in fact just a 're-enactment' group, but a 'living history society'.
Our basic tenet is Authenticity. To this end we will not portray any image, support any ideal, or make any item of kit which we cannot provenance from contemporary sources. This sometimes requires us to re-evaluate how we look and why we make or wear certain items, and to alter them or our habits to hone the image we depict.
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Our members invest large sums of money and thousands of man hours capturing the detail. From our experiences over the years in the field of re-enactment, we are certain that no other society from our period of interest takes this matter so seriously.
In the following pages you will be able to find out more about becoming a member of Regia Anglorum and how to get involved, or even details of how to book the society for a public show or a demonstration of crafts from the period. Regia members have on numerous occasions been involved in dramas and documentaries for television, in Britain and abroad, on land and on the sea. You can find more details about booking Regia for filmwork on this page. Some events that Regia has taken part in, have resulted in the creation of local societies who are not then under the control of Regia, but are merely mentored by Regia.
You may also like to explore the fictional pre-Conquest estate of 'Wichamstow', where you can find out more about the life and times of late Viking Age Britain. If you go to the Eorl's manor of Drengham, you will discover more about warfare and the defence of Anglo-Saxon Britain.
All of the information herein is based upon research conducted by members of Regia Anglorum and is illustrated where possible with illustrations or photographs to give a detailed insight into life of the period. We hope that they will aid both enthusiasts, students and academics to picture and expand their knowledge, or even encourage more personal research.
The images on this page demonstrate some of the varied situations that Regia members find themselves in. Pictures of men in battle are the kind of representations that are always associated with this period. However, people had to feed and clothe themselves, travel and have somewhere to live, all of which have to be experienced to some extent to get a better feel for the period.
Regia hopes to inject some reality into these once everyday activities. Whilst this can include getting cold, wet and reeking of wood smoke, just sitting around the campfire with your friends is an atmospheric experience in itself, which we hope brings the 10th century back to life for you.
Regia has recently taken the brave step to embark upon a project to reconstruct a fortified Anglo-Saxon manor house. The site has been named Wychurst and although it did not exist 1000 years ago locally, is a typical name for such a settlement in the Weald of Kent in Southern England. As with all Regia projects, this literally ground breaking enterprise is being done with great care to ensure the completed project will be as faithful as is practically possible. It is early days yet, but the site is cleared; the ramparts are in place and the frames of the manor house are in position All that remains is to add the roof and the walls. More information is easily accessible by following the link.
Photographs of the progress of the build; recent images of Regia's activities at shows and involvement in TV can found in our illustrious Eolder's Webshots galleries.
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