Milton Keynes Museum prepares for return of History Festival

The popular living History Festival is set to return to Milton Keynes Museum, bringing a wide array of enactors to show over 2000 years of living history.

Taking place on 9 and 10 May, the event encourages all visitors to get hands-on with history and take advantage of the many ways to do so.

Try pottery, handle artefacts and have a go at women’s self-defence, and there will be much more, including demonstrations in smelting, and roman leatherwork.

New to the event this year are the Ancient Craft group, who will be giving flint knapping and Stone Age fire lighting demonstrations, and bronze casting. The Anglo Saxons are coming too.

Romano-British reenactment group, The Vicus will take you closer to the varied people of the British Isles between 43-120 AD, and Roman Traders will be tempting you by demonstrating their wares and selling goods. Anyone fancy a new torc?

Twelfth century historical re-enactment group Chanz Des Reis will be covering civilian, military and religious life during the Middle Ages, while a Civil War re-enactment group will recreate a dark period in the past that divided not just communities, but families…

The area now known as the new city of Milton Keynes played a big part in the English Civil War, with Newport Pagnell being a heavily fortified Parliamentarian garrison town.

Robarte’s Regiment of The Sealed Knot will transport you back to the conflict between the Royalists and Parliamentarians.

Do take care around the Museum site though; Highwaymen will be demanding that you ‘Stand and Deliver’. Keep your wits about you!The History Festival is a colourful, lively, engaging weekend taking you through the centuries and letting you get closer to our ancestors who were living, working, fighting and playing during key periods in this area’s history.

A truly local thread will run throughout the weekend, too, supplementing each of the reenacting groups on site.

For example, did you know that The Bull in Stony Stratford could stable up to 70 horses when it was a staging post?

Or that the Bloomer locomotive – now housed at the Museum and once located outside the central train station – was developed by James McConnell?

His previous locomotive was too wide and had damaged stations along the line. It was known as Mac’s Mangle!

Expect to learn much more when you visit.

“This is always an absolute highlight of our annual calendar, and this year will be no exception,” promised Museum director Bill Griffiths,

“After all, it’s not every day you get to chat with a Roman trader, or experience the drama of the Civil War. The fun is for all ages, so bring the family entire and explore at your leisure – do beware of those highwaymen though. They can be trouble!”

Pay once and visit the Museum for free for a whole year. More information about forthcoming events can be found here: miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk