Portsmouth Goes Back 800 Years In Time

[inspic=8,left,fullscreen,thumb]A cast of hundreds will recreate the 800 year history of the people who lived and worked in the Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, at a new event ‘Dockyard 800′ on September 15-16, with displays of drills, arms and armour, cannon and musket firing, music and naval rope-making.
From the medieval period, The Purbrook Bowmen will demonstrate medieval archery and battles will be re-enacted by the Erpyngham retinue; a band of 15th century knights, archers and men-at-arms from the Battle of Agincourt.

The Mary Rose will receive a special visit from King Henry VIII himself with all wives, plus there will be Tudor cooking and music making. It’s then onto the seventeenth century, where The Siege of Portsmouth of 1642 will be re told by Colonel Robert Overton’s Regiment on Foot.

Sailors from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries will be stationed around HMS Victory and on board HMS Warrior 1860. Highlights will include an eight man gun crew who will be manning and firing HMS Victory’s 12 pounder cannon that was cast in 1805. This cannon will be set on a replica of HMS Victory’s upper gun deck which has been kindly loaned for this event by English Heritage. There will also be the History Horse, a mounted customs officer who will be giving equestrian displays.
Visitors can get involved with the Battle of the Nile display, moving the model ships to recreate the stages of the battle or the Battle of Britain display as “formation flying” bombers and fighters. There is also have-a-go archery, help with rope making and childrens naval cutlass drill.

Dockyard 800 runs from 10am – 4.30pm and tickets cost £12 adults, £10 concessions and £34 family. Ticket includes entry to HMS Victory, the Mary Rose Museum and Ship Hall, the Royal Naval Museum, HMS Warrior 1860 and Action Stations.

To book tickets or for programme updates visit www.historicdockyard.co.uk or call 023 9283 9766