Mediaeval Fair

With the support of 

A registered charity

Saturday, 12^th June 2010 will be a very special day for Holy Trinity Church (Shakespeare’s Church).  As one of the highlights of the 800^th anniversary year we shall be staging a Mediaeval Fair in the church and churchyard from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.  It will be an event not to be missed!  There will be demonstrations of archery, bee-keeping, weaving, spinning and dyeing, felt making, blacksmithing, calligraphy, basket making, coracle making, and much more.  Just some of the exhibitors include stained glass, handmade glass beads, ceramics, jewellery, chocolate, early music, needlework, wood turning, plants, art work, historical children’s costumes and candles.  Added to which the day will be full of activities – music, singing, dancing, acting, children’s activities, storytelling, juggling and games.  Refreshments, including a pig roast, will be available throughout the day.  Admission is free.

For all the latest information on the Mediaeval Fair, please visit the following website:

http://holytrinitymediaevalfayre.ning.com

Entertainers and exhibitors will include:

Founded in 1981, Musyck Anon is a madrigal singing group based in the Evesham area.

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• A Merrie Noyse www.merrienoyse.com  

A Merrie Noyse are musicians who perform mediaeval and Tudor music in period costume on authentic instruments such as the renaissance guitar, shawm, recorder and bagpipes.

• The Shakespeare Morris Men- www.shakespearemorris.org.uk  

The Shakespeare Morris Men have the privilege of wearing the family Coat of Arms of the house of John Shakespeare, William Shakespeare's father.  The founder members of the group in 1959 were scholars of King Edward VI Grammar School, where Shakespeare was educated.

• Wilmcote Fiddle Orchestra.  www.wilmcotefiddleorchestra.wordpress.com 

• Holy Trinity Church Choir

Holy Trinity Choir is one of the leading parish church choirs in the country. It has thriving treble and adult sections and this year will be touring Boston and New York.

• Holy Trinity Church Trinity Players

Founded at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, in 2007 by Ursula Russell and Tony Boyd-Williams, this vibrant company of actors, readers, singers, musicians and dancers will be performing at various times throughout the day.  

• The Gingham Chicken - www.ginghamchicken.co.uk

Helen Buckley is a creative and practical needlewoman, making decorative and useful items in her workshop near Shrewsbury.  She has been trading as The Gingham Chicken for over 10 years, and has developed a reputation for quality and traditional designs with a quirky edge.

• Karen Davies Stained Glass - www.karendaviesstainedglass.co.uk 

Using traditional leading and glass painting and firing techniques as well as copper-foiling methods, Karen Davies creates exclusive commissioned stained glass for clients.  She also makes a range of glass decorative items.  A substantial part of her work involves repairing damaged or original stained glass.

•  The Complete Knight Ltd - www.completeknight.co.uk

Suppliers of children’s historically-themed fancy dress.

• Tillerman Beads (handmade glass beads) – www.tillermanbeads.co.uk

All the lampwork beads sold by Tillerman Beads are made by Mike Poole in his Calderdale studio in a converted cotton mill, famously known as 'Grumpy's Mill'. 

• Busy Mole Music – makers of psalteries, etc. – www.busymolemusic.co.uk

Makers of small harps and lyres and specialist suppliers of early musical instruments, recorded music and sheet music.

• The Wildflower Patch - www.thewildflowerpatch.co.uk

Based in the Midlands, The Wildflower Patch currently offers an individually tailored service. Materials are sourced as locally as possible. The plants are grown in specialist nurseries within the UK where seeds are gathered ethically and sustainably. The wildflowers planted in Posh, Plain or Petit Pot are growing in peat-free compost, prepared from green, garden bin waste at the nearby Brinklow quarry.

• Rosie Bill www.rosiebill.co.uk      

Rosie graduated with a degree in metal work and jewellery from Sheffield Hallam.  Her ‘Lost & Found’ collection was inspired by broken pieces of pottery found in the garden.  Each piece is set into silver to create unique and contemporary jewellery.

• Sheila Graham - www.sheilagraham.org.uk 

Sheila Graham is a painter and potter from Leamington Spa.  

• Kerris Morgan - www.jewelleryboards.co.uk 

Jewellery is beautifully displayed on Jewellery Boards handmade by Kerris.  The padded material is gentle on favourite necklaces or bracelets and the long hooks mean no more tangled chains in jewellery boxes or drawers.

• Demonstrations – Weaving, Spinning and Dyeing (www.wsd-stratford.org.uk)

An enthusiastic and friendly group of  thirty, whose meetings have a varied and interesting programme of weaving, spinning and dyeing, and also include the history of textiles and felting, braiding, card marking, crocheting, knitting, and other related fields.

• Demonstration - The Lace Society www.thelacesociety.org.uk

The Lace Society exists for the purpose of furthering interest in lace and lace making and accepts as members anyone interested in the making, collecting and teaching of lace, and lace artefacts of any type.

• Beekeeping (www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk)

Its objects are, broadly, to promote and further the craft of beekeeping, to advance the education of the public in the importance of bees in the environment, to promote and further the conservation of honeybees and other native pollinators, to improve the standard of small-scale honey production, and to foster co-operation between beekeepers. 

• Sweet As (occasion cakes) – www.sweet-as.co.uk

Sweet As, based in Warwickshire, are award-winning chocolate specialists who create show-stopping Belgian chocolate cakes, wedding and birthday cakes and delectable chocolate brownies and a host of other sumptuous goodies.

• Chocolatier – Frances Crute – www.francescrute.co.uk

Frances Crute followed her passion for chocolate by working as a pastry chef with top restaurateurs and highly-acclaimed chefs (Giorgio Locatelli and Fred Ponnavoy, to name but two). Ten years later, Frances Crute, the company, was born. Training at world-renowned Claridges in London built on Frances’ enthusiasm by instilling in her the attention to detail and high standards which are a hallmark of the company today.

• Candles For All Ages – www.candles-for-all-ages.com

The candles are all handcrafted to a high standard and where hand-painted detail is applied, non toxic paints are used.  Figurine candles can be produced without wicks (for the younger "candle" user). Extensive research has been undertaken by Candles For All Ages into the history of lighting and its consequences on society.

• Temima Crafts (wooden boxes) – www.temimacrafts.co.uk

Whilst some of the boxes involve an element of standardisation in design, they are still made from a unique piece of timber and, therefore, no two can ever be the same.  They look and feel beautiful as a result of choosing lovely pieces of timber and spending a great deal of time sanding, oiling and waxing.

• Jean Cox (jewellery) – www.jeancox.co.uk 

Jean Cox’s ranges of handmade jewellery are particularly popular with UK brides especially the collars of silver plated wire knitted with pearls, and with clients looking for wearable jewellery made from healing gemstones.  Other ranges include; crystal jewellery, wire mesh jewellery, contemporary silver necklaces, chain necklace jewellery, glass and bead jewellery, and other unusual silver jewellery.

• Giraffe Toys www.giraffetoys.co.uk

Educational toys and games for children of all ages

• Michelle J. Parker (Artist Blacksmith) www.mjpblacksmith.com 

Michelle J Parker FWCB Master Blacksmith has run her own business forging steel for the past seventeen years. Having completed a Higher National Diploma in three dimensional design in blacksmithing she works alone designing and making quality hot forged steel work. She was awarded a Bronze Medal from the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths in 2007. Most people see steel as being cold, hard and lifeless, but something encouraged Michelle to go beyond that and see what could be done when steel met fire. She soon discovered that steel took on a completely different medium, no longer cold and lifeless but full of life and movement.

• Stratford Archers www.stratfordarchers.org.uk

John Shenkman will be demonstrating Mediaeval and modern longbows and how arrows are fletched.

• Facepainting – Sarah Mack www.mackface.co.uk

Artist and lecturer, Sarah Mack, will be offering face painting.

• Under Capricorn-  www.undercapricorn.co.uk.  

Lyndsay Kent will be selling her luxury handmade soaps which contain only natural ingredients, including fresh pure goat’s milk and essential oils.

• SALT DOUGH

Bev Wareing will be selling handmade salt dough and demonstrating the craft to children.

• Leamington & District Embroiderers Guild  www.embroiderersguild.com

• Friends of the Music of Holy Trinity Church will be selling wonderful homemade marmalades.

• Whichford Pottery – www.whichfordpottery.com 

• GLENDA RAE                                                                                                                 

• BASKET MAKER                                                                                                        

• CORACLE MAKER