Thanks for Tewkesbury

[Gorfy]

Just to say a huge thank you to all the organisers of Tewks this year - excellent event and I really hope that you managed to get the site cleared before Lower Lode Lane became a river! You did a brilliant job to keep it running as so many events have had to cancel and we are very grateful!
Alison - Swords of Mercia

[Brother Kevfael]

Totally agree.

[Martin]

yup, seconded

[Dave B]

Yep, In particular well done to whoever had the forethought to hire in the tracked dumper and the guys who were driving it, really made a difference to the roads having a vehicle that flattened the ruts rather than digging them.

[Theotherone]

I'd never seen one of those before. Neither, I think, had the "lady" blocking the gateway not beleiving the lane closure applied to HER and refusing. Seeing it fast approaching from the field kind of changed her mind

Thanks to the site people and everyone who leant a hand to get those of us down there moved.

Also to whoever arranged the weather on Sunday, soaked and sunburned same weekend.

[Jackie Phillips]

I would also like to say thank you to everyone who had a hand in putting this year's show on, keeping it on and helping us all off.

It was a triumph given the circumstances, you should all be very proud of yourselves.

Thanks again.

Jackie

[JC Milwr]

Agreed to all above, the organisers were fantastic. I'd also like to thank everyone in the York camp for being so chilled and good humoured about getting kit onto site on Friday, and even more so getting it off again on Sunday. Everyone was amazingly patient and chilled, a credit to the human race!

[Deano1091977]

yes a very big thank you to the organisers lets hope for less mud next year!!!!

[medieval]

Just to echo the earlier comments, a very big thanks to the organisers and all who attended as despite the weather issues, it was a good event as always and it must have taken some courage to allow the event to take place in view of the weeks weather.

My only question is, is there a mud recycling bin as like many others, I seem to have taken most of Tewkesbury's mud home and I wondered if they need it back.

Kind regards

[Peter C-H]

Agree whole-heartedly. An excellent event with a great contingency plan.

Yep, In particular well done to whoever had the forethought to hire in the tracked dumper and the guys who were driving it, really made a difference to the roads having a vehicle that flattened the ruts rather than digging them.

Almost certainly Gary aka Old Grey Bear. They and the Telehandler driver did sterling work evacuation the French camp on Sat afternoon and moving it to the Lancs end of Windmill Hill. Did mean that we had at least 3 choruses of La Marseillaise on Sat evening. Wythe Retinue responded in style - Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Lloyd George Knew My Father.

On another note hope that the French guy who was back-boarded off to hospital on Sunday is OK.

[Simon Atford]

Agreed to all above, the organisers were fantastic. I'd also like to thank everyone in the York camp for being so chilled and good humoured about getting kit onto site on Friday, and even more so getting it off again on Sunday. Everyone was amazingly patient and chilled, a credit to the human race!

Agreed. Also a shout out to those Yorkists who discovered they had aquired some Lancastrian neighbors on Saturday afternoon

[Sophia]

Agreed to all above, the organisers were fantastic. I'd also like to thank everyone in the York camp for being so chilled and good humoured about getting kit onto site on Friday, and even more so getting it off again on Sunday. Everyone was amazingly patient and chilled, a credit to the human race!

Agreed. Also a shout out to those Yorkists who discovered they had aquired some Lancastrian neighbors on Saturday afternoon

Nice to finally meet you and in retrospect a good thing that there was all that space which seemed so sad and empty on Saturday morning!

[Simon Atford]

Agreed to all above, the organisers were fantastic. I'd also like to thank everyone in the York camp for being so chilled and good humoured about getting kit onto site on Friday, and even more so getting it off again on Sunday. Everyone was amazingly patient and chilled, a credit to the human race!

Agreed. Also a shout out to those Yorkists who discovered they had aquired some Lancastrian neighbors on Saturday afternoon

Nice to finally meet you and in retrospect a good thing that there was all that space which seemed so sad and empty on Saturday morning!

In hindsight the low turn out from our group was probbally for the best. I seem to have smuggled quite a lot of Tewkesbury mud back to Atworth though

[acecat999]

Agreed to all above, the organisers were fantastic. I'd also like to thank everyone in the York camp for being so chilled and good humoured about getting kit onto site on Friday, and even more so getting it off again on Sunday. Everyone was amazingly patient and chilled, a credit to the human race!

Agreed. Also a shout out to those Yorkists who discovered they had aquired some Lancastrian neighbors on Saturday afternoon

I think you ended up in the gunners bowling green, and it was very nice to have you and those french there. I missed most of the party as I was sailing on the gunners new boating lake

[Fairfax]

A massive round of applause for the fantastic effort, organisation and general politeness from ALL the orgainsers of this years event. This must have been a real challenge to all concerned in getting the show up and running in very difficult conditions. All crew and organisers went above and beyond in their tireless attitude; so thanks to everyone involved in managing to make the weekend so much fun, cheery attitudes and helpful manner. Great to see so many reenactors and traders showing such spirit as well; so much so, it was difficult to notice the mud or rain. Thank you again, you smashing oransisers, and hope you ALL get some time to relax and pat yourselves on the back...

[Simon Atford]

Agreed to all above, the organisers were fantastic. I'd also like to thank everyone in the York camp for being so chilled and good humoured about getting kit onto site on Friday, and even more so getting it off again on Sunday. Everyone was amazingly patient and chilled, a credit to the human race!

Agreed. Also a shout out to those Yorkists who discovered they had aquired some Lancastrian neighbors on Saturday afternoon

I think you ended up in the gunners bowling green, and it was very nice to have you and those french there. I missed most of the party as I was sailing on the gunners new boating lake

I think I broke myself at the beer tent but a pork roll and cup of tea got me straight for the battle. Business as usual really.

[Big Gay Al]

While I don't want to state the obvious - I agree with everything said above.
Top works to the everyone involved.
Fight got a bit tasty in our block on Sunday, but nothing untoward.

Pirates was fun, but attending the Vegas table on Saturday was brilliant. Ball gowns and wellies - priceless. Also, seeing Fred Smeyter drinking from a (non-alcoholically filled) Cocktail glass in the muster lines on Sunday, in full harness, was a giggle.

Thanks to the Fairy winged Fighters for showing that there is humour everywhere. Although I did remove their pink tutus before they took the field.

In closing, big applause all round - I left the site only ten minutes later than last year. Pretty slick work.

Thank you all!

[Langley]

Anyone else catch the comment over the radio after the move of the camp to the bottom of Windmill Hill to prevent drowning the French?
"Can we bring some more firewood down to the camp please now that we have more people here?" Reply... "They're not burning it, they're building an ark."
Firewood did of course duly arrive. Yet another fantastic bit of organisation people.
P.S. Does anyone know if the tracked dumper has a suitable mounting hole for a swivel gun?

[The Voyer]

Agree with all comments. I had a good time with French during their Bastille Day celebrations on the Saturday night and I must thank them for their help on Sunday when we got a little stuck getting out. In fact I was so impressed by them that I shall refrain from my right as an Englishman and not abuse the French for at least a fortnight.

By the way, you can thank Andy Dines for the Ark building comment.

[BYDAND]

I completely agree with all the appreciation that has already been shown for the mammoth efforts made by the organisers and THE CREW for running this years event.

I also want to thank everyone in the Yorkist camp for creating such a friendly, happy and helpful place to be.

Great weekend had by all, thanks guys and girls.

James

[Langley]

Knew it was Andy but had not used the name to protect the guilty...

[Sir Kibblewhite]

P.S. Does anyone know if the tracked dumper has a suitable mounting hole for a swivel gun?

It didn't have a mount no... but it could easily be "adapted"...


As for the mud.. well. It wasn't quite Weapons Grade mud.

I (and the rest of the crew) kept my spirits up with help from our Stirling catering arrangements and the odd visit to the bar
Though in all seriousness the rest of the crew are all top people. Lovely, versatile, tireless and generally useful bunch of people.

[Simon Atford]

Who was the lady doing the tannoy annoucements?

I'm thinking particularly of the one about people parking on the battlefield

[Polly]

A massive round of applause for the fantastic effort, organisation and general politeness from ALL the orgainsers of this years event. This must have been a real challenge to all concerned in getting the show up and running in very difficult conditions. All crew and organisers went above and beyond in their tireless attitude; so thanks to everyone involved in managing to make the weekend so much fun, cheery attitudes and helpful manner. Great to see so many reenactors and traders showing such spirit as well; so much so, it was difficult to notice the mud or rain. Thank you again, you smashing oransisers, and hope you ALL get some time to relax and pat yourselves on the back...

Agree totally

[Midland Spinner]

Apologies that this is so late being posted - I've been away in the 15th Century all week at Tattershall Castle so couldn't post this on Penny's behalf earlier.

Penny has asked me to say: "Penny says a huge thank you to all the re-enactors at Tewks for their wonderful response and stoicism, their hugs, the rude French songs, the conversation in "Danish pig grunts" and lots, lots more. A special thanks to the archers who gave up their time for BBC filming; the Beeb are very pleased with the shots (pun intended) and have asked her to tell them that.
This year was the Battle of the Somme and The Bridge Not Far Enough. The swans look very happy on the battlefield paddling about where Lankies once camped. And no, the water never reached the lane.
And Penny says also she has discovered that white is not a good colour for re-enactors' towels ( DUH she's a bit slow like that)"

As a trader Hugh and I would like to add our own thanks to the organisers for getting us onto and off the field and generally keeping the whole show going.