Kentwell Hall - Tudor Re-enactment

Today we went to one of the famous Tudor Re-enactments at Kentwell Hall in Long Melford - about 20 minutes drive from Bury St Edmunds down the A134 to Sudbury (here). It's years since we last went, so it was about time. We arrived just after the 11am opening time, so were among the first people in.

"You must get some fish food", said the lady in the shop. So we did. The fish in the moat were really hungry, as you can see...

After having a go at the maze in the courtyard (Little W was the winner, but he might have cheated), we went inside the house. It was busy in the kitchen...

The Tudors are really chatty, but try to be authentic in conversation - they will profess ignorance to anything modern that's mentioned. They had some good advice for parents on how to bring up their children properly. "What they need is a sound beating twice a day", we were told. Hmm. Maybe I'll try that.

We went round the rest of the house, seeing the giant Easter Eggs in the dining room, being entertained by lute, viols and voice in the Hall, while young Alys was being taught a courtly dance, and getting a good view of topiary in the garden from the bedroom windows.

After an early lunch in the Undercroft, we continued through the garden to the Camera Obscura, nicely explained to us by a Tudor goodwife. The kids thought it was amazing to see the people outside walking upside down. "It's just like an upside-down television", said Little Miss.

There was lots going on in the old Moat House. In the dairy we saw some ladies making butter and cheese for Easter Sunday. In the bakehouse we saw them baking hot cross buns and in the Brewhouse we heard some more live music and saw a huge cauldron of Potage being cooked over an open fire.

Upstairs in the Solar, the girls were invited to help in stripping the rosemary into a pot, while Little W did some bashing of some nettle leaves with a large mortar and pestel. Next door, we found a group of women sewing.

Back outside, we saw some young men practising their sword fighting in the garden, and a group of archers doing some target practice on our way to the rare-breeds farm. There were loads of cute little black lambs frolicking. We saw some goats with their young too. Little Miss loves quiz questions. "Here's a quiz question for you", I said. "What is a baby goat called?". I don't think she believed me when I told her.
The donkeys and Suffolk Punch horses proved popular with the girls, while Little W chased the chickens.

We found some ladies preparing some meat for cooking, skinning hares and doing something strange with a sheep's intestines. "We're making strings for the instruments", I was told. But the Missus was taken aside for a ladies-only conversation. Much giggling ensued. I was later told that they were explaining to her how they were also making (reusable) condoms "to avoid the French disease".

Just before we left, I was accosted by some Tudor youngsters. Would I like to buy a hot cross bun from the bakery? We had seen them earlier...

I asked how much they cost. "One gold coin", was the answer. I handed over a pound coin and got my bun. Yum. It was delicious.

You can see more of my pictures here on Flickr. The Easter Re-enactment continues through to Monday, 11am to 4pm each day. The next one will be on the May Day holiday weekend. It's well worth it and kids go free. (Human children that is, not goats).