- 3 months ago
A medieval tournament featuring the Knights of Skirbeck was held at The Village Church Farm museum in Skegness. Barry Robinson went along to find out more.
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00:00Morning Skegness, we're at Church Palm Museum once again and we've got Brian here the Conqueror
00:04and we've got the Knights of Skirbeck back with us, Skirbeck, let's get it right
00:10That's it, Knights of Skirbeck, I'm Brian of Skirbeck
00:13Brian of Skirbeck, the Conqueror
00:15and we're going to just give you a rundown of what we've got on over the next couple of days
00:20so I'm going to get his drink down him, look, very thirsty work being a knight
00:24so yep, give us a rundown, we've got two more days of this today so we've got three days of it
00:28Hi, so we're starting each day with basic weapons training
00:34so you'll see the Knights, Men-at-Arms, Squires, Militia
00:37using various swords
00:42we've just done Death of a King
00:46which is an eyewitness account, because we were there
00:49honest, which is an eyewitness account
00:53very dramatised of course
00:55of the um, the last moments of King Richard the third
01:01show what weapons were used, how it was done, how he was taken down and what eventually killed him
01:07Bless him
01:10A little bit later we'll be having a weapons demo
01:13so we'll get some of the guys out with assorted weapons
01:16showing you some of the weird and wonderful weapons we're having our time and how they were used
01:20then er, I think one o'clock I think some of the lads are going down to the orchard with some long bows
01:27to show you how a long bow was used
01:30we've got some interesting targets down there
01:33that they'll be shooting at
01:35then from about half past one quarter to two we'll start getting our armour on
01:40because at half past two there'll be a full contact tournament
01:44non choreographed, not scripted
01:48every man for himself, best man wins
01:51and it will be proper competitive
01:54and of course in the meantime
01:56we've got various tents open including the armoury
01:59so if you've got to come and try a helmet on
02:01or erm, try out a weapon
02:03see how it works for yourself
02:05then you're most welcome to come and have a go
02:08so as we've said, we're here for the next three days
02:11and er, I'm not going to put all the video up for you
02:15if you want to see what's going on
02:17we've got Richard the third
02:18we're going to show you that one
02:19but er, you want to see the rest
02:21you're going to have to come down
02:22entry by donation
02:23er, all goes to a good cause
02:25let's er, you know
02:27let's get this place up and running
02:29that'd be nice wouldn't it?
02:30thank you Brian
02:31bless you, thank you sir
02:32thank you for
02:33thank you again
02:46thank you
02:53thank you
02:56okay good morning skeggy are we well
03:07quiz time 22nd of august 1485 what happened
03:24come on it was only yesterday come on 22nd of august come on sorry
03:31brilliant
03:4222nd of august 1485 well done what a star i went to school once as well you know
03:52i didn't like it so i didn't bother going again
03:54okay now 22nd of august 1485 a very important day in english history
04:02very very significant for one big reason
04:06actually it brought it um it was the beginning of the end of the medieval period
04:13for this particular reason okay here we go 22nd of august here he is the king
04:18king richard the third what do we think of king richard do we love him do we hate him
04:25he's all right he'll do he'll do not the tallest of people if he could have stood up right
04:34he would have been about five eight five nine so slightly taller than average for the time
04:39and slightly but but thanks to the scoliosis he was a little bit shorter than average
04:45however stick him in full plate armor shiny shiny armor as he was wearing that day
04:53he looked the same as every other man on the battlefield just a little bit shorter
04:58and a bit bulkier but he looked absolutely because he stood he stood properly in his armor it held him
05:05and he was actually known as one of the best fighters of the day he was absolutely brilliant
05:12so here he is at bosworth fighting for his crown he's hacking and slashing away he's having it large
05:21in the distance he sees henry tudor's personal standard in the distance that means henry tudor is there
05:49he's only got a handful of bodyguards with him he's got some of the best best in the world
05:56but he's only got a handful richard is one of the best fighters in the world
06:01he knows if he can reach if he can reach henry tudor he's gonna kill him
06:05and that'll be job done game over
06:09no more claimants to the throne he will be settled
06:13so what does he do he gets back on his horse and he charges towards henry tudor's standard
06:21you wouldn't like this rubbish would you
06:27you wrote it
06:29he's killed henry tudor's standard bearer
06:35that means he's got really close
06:41only trouble is his horse is getting now oh no sorry his horse is getting stuck in the mud
06:48he's getting bogged down
06:49because at bosworth that day it rained
06:52hang on
06:53and then it rained a lot
06:54and when it weren't raining it was absolutely peddling down
06:58and we've been to bosworth we know because we were there
07:02when it rains at bosworth it's like
07:05i'll be there in a minute
07:06don't go away
07:09don't oh you can't move because you're stuck that's all right i'm coming
07:14it's like i'll have you
07:16it's horrible it's a nightmare it's ripped there's one patch in particular
07:21there's a real bolt and his horse gets stuck in it
07:24now according to some of henry tudor's men
07:28one of them comes out with a war bill like this
07:32and he grabs the king and he drags him off his horse
07:35squelch
07:37liar
07:38that never happened
07:41no no i was there
07:43you're too young i was there
07:46that didn't happen
07:48what happened was
07:50the king's horse gets stuck in the mud
07:53so the king dismounts
07:55he gets so close to he gets so close then to henry tudor
08:03he comes up against sir john cheney one of the best knights of the day and one of the biggest
08:13hence there's there's um there's richard the third about five a bit less than five and a half foot tall
08:21there's sir john cheney at six foot six he's a he was a big fella sir john cheney and he's one of henry tudor's bodyguards they have a bit of a tussle
08:33henry tudor
08:35henry tudor sorry
08:37richard the third knocks henry tudor's bodyguard over
08:41he takes him out he gets rid of sir john cheney
08:45he's doing really well
08:47all he's got to do now is get a little bit closer and kill henry tudor
08:51still henry tudor
08:53only trouble is
08:55the guy comes out with a poleaxe
08:57he's a really brave knight
08:59he comes behind him
09:01he gets behind the king
09:03really really brave
09:05and he hits him
09:07full in the back of the head
09:09with his poleaxe
09:11the king goes down
09:15hang on you're supposed to have your visor down by the way
09:21the king goes down with concussion
09:23he's gonna be a smacker in the back of the head
09:25if you ever had concussion you know everything sort of goes a bit like that
09:29so he gets up on his knees
09:33he can't see properly
09:35in the confusion
09:37he raises his visor
09:39one of henry tudor's really brave knights
09:43another one
09:45comes in with a spear
09:47and he stabs him
09:49in the face
09:51the head of the spear
09:55goes under the king's eye
09:57and it doesn't stop
09:59until he reaches the back of his skull
10:01on the inside
10:03eeeeh
10:05eeeeh
10:07ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
10:09alright clear off
10:11don't milk it
10:13so the king
10:15is now paralysed
10:17because as the spearhead went through
10:19it went to the back of his skull
10:21catches the spinal nerves
10:23and he's paralysed
10:25thankfully
10:27he knows nothing now
10:29thank god
10:31i mean he ain't gonna survive this
10:33but he ain't got a clue what's happening now
10:35however
10:37another one of henry tudor's
10:39brave knights
10:41comes running forward with the dagger
10:43he comes from behind him
10:45he cuts through the chin strap of his helmet
10:47he takes the king's helmet off
10:49and runs away with it
10:51why
10:53why does he do that
10:55sell it
10:57sell it on
10:59yeah exactly
11:01and it's worth a lot of money
11:03because it's got a crown attached
11:05it's actually got a crown riveted
11:07to the helmet
11:09so still in there
11:11you're never gonna sell that
11:13i mean you might do on vintage
11:15i suppose
11:17yeah
11:19hang on it's not been invented
11:21no you can't sit on vintage
11:23it hasn't been invented
11:25roleplays
11:27wrong what?
11:29roleplays
11:31come on
11:41shut up
11:43oh yeah that's where i was going next
11:45finally
11:47finally
11:49don't make me laugh
11:51finally
11:53another one of henry tudor's brave knights
11:55comes forward with a big sword
11:57he comes behind the king
11:59and it splashes through the top of the king's head
12:03a big chunk of the king's skull like this comes out
12:07part of the king's brain
12:09spreads out into the mud at Bosworth
12:13oh the indignity of it
12:15king of england laid face down in the mud
12:19with bits of his brain out
12:21horrible innit?
12:23yeah
12:25thank goodness that was the end of the indignity
12:27no hang on it wasn't no it wasn't
12:29no no
12:31okay they'll strip all his armour off
12:33okay they'll strip all his armour off
12:35yep need all his armour
12:37okay fair point
12:39good armour worth money
12:41yep take his armour
12:43marvellous
12:45oh they're not stopping his armour they're taking his clothes off
12:47they'll strip him completely naked
12:57the claim is to prove that he is the king
12:59so they can see the curve in his spine
13:01so should we not do them naked
13:03we might scare the people
13:05yeah we won't have flickered on you don't worry
13:07it's alright John keep your clothes on mate
13:09we're not feeling that statistic today
13:13so they take the indignity of it
13:15they take the king's naked body
13:17and throw it over the back of an horse
13:19and then they parade him around the field
13:23so that more and more of Henry Tudor's really brave knights
13:29come up and start hacking and stabbing at the body
13:33the king's dead
13:35but no
13:37no
13:39that's not enough
13:41they need to mutilate him
13:43all the indignity of it
13:45it shouldn't be a letter
13:47it shouldn't happen to a king should it
13:49no
13:51what happens is
13:53a bunch of monks come
13:55they take his body
13:57and they'll bury it properly in their chapel
13:59thank goodness for that
14:01the indignity is over isn't it
14:03the king has a dignified end
14:05does he
14:07what does he echo like
14:09why
14:11because one of your lot builds a car park on him
14:15a car park
14:17you build a car park on the king of England
14:19the king of England
14:21what's that all about
14:25we just put an R by it
14:27eh
14:28we just put an R there
14:29a circle with an R in it
14:30you put an R on it
14:31oh yeah great yeah
14:33Richard you're in a car park
14:39then I know we'll dig him up again
14:41yes we'll dig him up and we'll give him a proper burial
14:43proper burial
14:45did anybody see the funeral
14:47a friend of ours was one of the gunners
14:49fired one of the cannon at the funeral
14:51proper state funeral
14:53much better
14:54that's more dignified isn't it
14:57and then they bury him in Leicester Cathedral
15:00yes
15:01proper dignified place to rest
15:04under a paving slab
15:06have you seen the king's tomb of Leicester
15:11no
15:12don't bother
15:13just go home and cut a cross in a paving slab
15:16it looks the same
15:17I'm not a big fan I'll be honest
15:23it's a great big stone slab
15:27with a big cross cutting it with an angle grinder
15:30it's not a king's tomb is it
15:33oh
15:35here's the king's
15:36hey the king's been resurrected
15:37yay
15:38Richard the third is back
15:41so here
15:42they killed the king
15:44yeah they killed the king
15:45yeah
15:46they're expensive they are
15:47now what we're going to do
15:48it's alright we've got a cheap one
15:49called Henry Tudors
15:51I mean no sorry
15:52Tudor
15:53is he the Earl of Richmond
15:55er
15:56he's a really
15:57oh it's alright
15:58we're in the right corner
15:59hang on
16:00Earl of Richmond
16:01his grandad was John of Gaunt wasn't it
16:04his great great great great grandad or something like that
16:07oh yeah yeah
16:08so that means his great great great grandad was King Edward the third
16:12hang on a minute the trouble is
16:14Henry Tudors came from the Beaufort line
16:17oh he did didn't he
16:18because his mother was
16:20not married
16:23I've forgotten her name she was the king's mistress
16:26the mistress that's it yeah
16:27Catherine Swinford
16:28that's it
16:29they were
16:30and their offspring were exempt from the throne weren't they
16:32they weren't allowed to inherit
16:33that's it
16:34they weren't allowed to inherit
16:35hang on a minute he has done
16:36mind you in fairness the king's dead
16:39oh yeah that's alright then the king's dead so we'll have a new king
16:42god save the king
16:43god save the king
16:44god save the king
16:45god save the king
16:46Henry Tudor
16:47Henry Tudor
16:48Henry Tudor
16:49hang on hang on hang on
16:50what so we were one two three four
16:51seven
16:52seven
16:53yeah one two three seven yeah
16:55yeah that's the one
16:56Henry the seventh
16:57told you I went to school once
16:58Henry the seventh once
17:00yeah one two three seven that's right
17:02that's it
17:03that's right
17:04one two three seven
17:05and that was the beginning of the end of the medieval period
17:10thank you for listening if you've got any questions please do sing out
17:15what's the next thing we've got all
17:18dinner
17:31nights they gather in the field
17:33steel on steel the faithless seal
17:35at the church farm where banners fly
17:38blades will sing and arrows cry
17:41scannish rumble swords collide
17:45seven on arm take the prize
17:47adjust for lust under the skies
17:50come and see the legend rise
17:58helms and shields a battle hymn
18:00echoes loud but chances slim
18:03dust and cheers they fill the air
18:05blood and honor everywhere
18:08horns will sound the clash begins
18:10victory waits but only one wins
18:13scannish rumble swords collide
18:16seven on arm take the prize
18:18adjust for lust under the skies
18:21come and see the legend rise
18:29horns will sound the clash begins
18:31victory waits but only one wins
18:34scannish rumble swords collide
18:36seven on arm take the prize
18:39adjust for lust under the skies
18:42come and see the legend rise
18:50two thousand five hundred strong
18:52crowds that chant all day long
18:55feel the ground shake feel the frill
18:57a many evil fight that tests the will
19:00a many evil fight that tests the will
19:04come and see the dead
19:05once we get to be done
19:06at this time
19:11and are turning to the skies
19:12out in the sky
19:14and have a perfect range
19:15you know, we have no idea
19:17there's a doubt and do not
19:20to be a good idea
19:21Two thousand five hundred strong
19:27Crowds that chant all day long
19:30Feel the ground shake, feel the thrill
19:32A medieval fight that tests the will
19:35Can this rumble, swords collide
19:52Settle an arm, take the prize
19:55Adjust for lust under the skies
19:57Come and see the legend rise
20:00Helms and shields of battle hymn
20:03Echoes loud, the chants are slim
20:05Dust and shears, they fill the air
20:08Blood and honor everywhere
20:10Horns will sound, the clash begins
20:14Victory waits, the only one wins
20:17Stagnis, rumble, swords collide
20:20Settle an arm, take the prize
20:22Adjust for lust under the skies
20:25Come and see the legend rise
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