Iron Shepherds Living History Turns Three!

And yet another year passes for Iron Shepherds Living History and boy has it been a good one! With new displays, events and members 2015 has been our best year yet and we wanted to share what we've done with you here.

January 2015

Our third year started relatively quietly this year, we had done Winter fairs the last two but this time we decided it best to forgo organising such events and concentrate on preparing new things for the coming season. Having said that we did get invited to a photo shoot ...

Photo Shoot with Barrow Digital Photography Club | 13.01.2015

In January the Barrow Digital Photography Club invited us to take part in one of their photo shoots. We accepted the invitation and went along for an evening of photo taking. We must have had hundreds if not thousands of photos snapped of us and it was a great evening! You can check out a video from the night bellow.

May 2015

Holker Garden Festival | 30+31.05.2015

In May we had our first event of the year, Holker Garden Show. We attended in 2014 along side English Heritage and Furness Abbey Fellowship and this year English Heritage asked us to return with them to put on a small display. We were there for two days, the first had Bertram, Brother Orme Tethera and new member Matilda, the basket maker, display to the public. We had may interested passers by and we promoted our brand new up coming event.

June 2015

Life in the Past | Day 1 | 06.06.2015

The 6th of May saw the start of a brand new event created by Iron Shepherds, Life in the Past.

Life in the Past had been planned and worked on throughout the winter and was set to be a two day event showcasing life in the past at and around Furness Abbey. Day one was meet the 12th century peasants to find out what life was like living in Furness and what it was like farming the land on a daily basis to produce food not only for yourself but for the Abbey.

We had two new specially written displays on the day: a farming talk written by one of our members Karen (aka Heather), which showcased farming in the 12th century and how tough yet vital it was, and a mummers play written by Paul (aka Toadflax) which was a type of play common in the time to poke fun at establishments as well as to entertain. Both displays went down well and have become part of our growing repertoire. 

Life in the Past | Day 2 | 07.06.2015

The 7th was the second day of Life in the Past and this time we were 13th Century Monks for the day!

Following the success of last years Monks Life displays we wanted to include monks in our new event so our second day was dedicated to them and how they lived in Furness Abbey in the 13th Century. We had our small display area but also put on a Chapter Meeting, something that the monks had every morning, and two tours of the abbey with Brother Bertram (Stuart). The chapter meeting involved a reading of a chapter from the rules of St. Benedict followed by Brother Earnolf having to flagellate himself as penance for grumbling. People really seemed to like it!

The tours went really well also with many visitors sticking around to go on them. With glorious sunshine all day it really made the day, even if we did get a little warm in our woollen habits!

Take a look at the pictures bellow as well as the advert created to promote the event.

Family Fun Day at Gleaston | 27.06.15

At the end of June we returned to Gleaston for their second family fun day. We set up our camp at the edge of the field and demonstrated through the afternoon. It was a lovely event that we were pleased to have returned to. It was also a very warm summers day, one of but a few we had this summer!

August 2015

Muncaster Living History Week | 25-26.08.15

What a lovely if wet time we had at Muncaster this year. We were back for a third year of Living History week and it was a great one! We arrived on the Monday night before our two day stint to find a very wet, marshy field to set up in. Every other year we had attended the field was nice and dry but due to heavy rain this time the site was saturated. We looked around and set our tents up on the slightly higher, dryer land near where we usually set up. We wanted to stay dry when we slept! Eventually we had our camp, this time in a long line of tents, something we had tried before. It proved to work over the course of the two days but we do prefer our usual set up. We met many people over the two days as we demonstrated various crafts, performed our mummers play and weapons display. As always it was a wonderful event to be part of!

Medieval Fair at Furness Abbey | 05.09.15

Early in September we were back at Furness Abbey for another Medieval Fair, the third in fact! The sun was shining and people came out in their droves to enjoy a day in the ruins and enjoying the entertainment. We could be found inside our camp working on our crafts or in the display arena performing our weapons display. The day was wonderful and we all had a fantastic time chatting to the public and demonstrating. It's always a pleasure to be at Furness Abbey and the sunshine and interested visitors always helps! We even set up a camera to take a time-lapse throughout the day, this can be seen in the video player below. It certainly shows the amount of people who move through our camp during the day and the bright sunshine.

Magna Carta 800, Cartmel | 26+27.09.15

Another new event for us in 2015 was the Magna Carta 800 celebration at Cartmel. It was a two day event to celebrate the 800th year of Magna Carta and it featured ourselves alongside another re-enactment group, Tournee. We showcased daily life and crafts while the they performed large combat displays to the crowds. Together we filled the majority of the display field next to craft stalls and food tents. Over the weekend many thousands of people (possibly 10,000+) visited the village and came to wander our camp and chat to us. We often had large crowds of people around us watching as we demonstrated which put the pressure on but also really made the day special. It was a truly fantastic event and something we are very proud to have been a part of! If this event were to happen again we would be there at the drop of a hat!

Apple Day, Ulverston | 03.10.15

Our first ever October event took place at Ford Park in Ulverston where we were part of Apple Day. We had a small camp set up in part of the  field where we spoke to the public about life in 12th Century Furness. Most of us were peasants but we did have one monk attend to give the religious aspect of the time. There was thick mist throughout the day which gave a certain atmosphere to proceedings and it did make it a little chilly. It was a lovely event and we met many interested people.

Magna Carta Medieval Fayre, Witherslack | 04.10.15

Another October event! This one the day after Apple Day. We were asked to attend a Medieval Fayre in Witherslack to celebrate the Magna Carta. We jumped at the chance and took out kit over for the Sunday event. This event saw us try out another layout for our camp, this time we pitched up in a sort of diamond shape in the centre of the field. This meant people could walk around us with someone always visible to talk to or watch. It worked well. We had a very pleasant and fun day here speaking to various folk about what we do, We even performed our weapons display twice. Something we hadn't done for two events now. It was the perfect event to finish our season off with and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

2015 has been a fantastic year for Iron Shepherds, we feel like we are going from strength to strength and are very excited to see what the future holds! We have many ideas for the coming year and hope we can share these with you in the near future, roll on 2016 lets see what you bring us!

If you would like to keep up to date with what the Iron Shepherds are doing then why not follow us on Facebook or Twitter You can also check out our website to discover what we do and what we have coming up.

Making a Writing Quill

Quills were one of the dominant forms of writing throughout the Medieval period. Made from the feathers of common birds, like geese and ducks, quills were easy to make and worked brilliantly well.

Monks living in monasteries, like the Abbey of St Mary's in Furness, would use quills on a daily basis to write copies of scripture while sat in the Cloister Range. At our upcoming event, Life in the Past, during our Meet the Monks day (7th June, 11am - 5pm) you can have a go at writing with one of these wonderful writing implements.

This is how such a quill is made:

Step 1

Take a feather, the one I am using is a white duck feather. You then can cut away some of the feather's barbs (the main body of the feather). I leave some at the top, mostly for decoration.

Step 2

Now it's time to start shaping the nib of the quill, the bit that will do the writing and hold the ink. Feathers have a hollow shaft towards the bottom, this is perfect for creating an ink well which will hold the ink while writing.

It's time to cut the end. Take a sharp knife and take an angled cut down towards the end of the shaft. Following this cut again in a steeper angle nearer the end and shape the nib.

Step 3

Once the nib has been shaped cut a slit down the centre of the nib. This will allow the ink to flow down the shaft to the parchment. Once this has been done you have a new, working, quill. Ready for writing with.

Feather Quills are wonderful implements to write with. It really makes you appreciate the art of writing, that is of course if you can write. In our time not everyone was literate or able to write. Monks were well educated and wrote everyday but peasants would, mostly, never write or read.

800 years ago this year, in 1215, the Magna Carta was written with feather pens just like this!

Come see us on the 7th of June at Furness Abbey to have a go writing with one of these quills at our Meet the Monks display and discover what life was like for Monks in the 13th Century. You can also come and see us at our Meet the Peasants day on the 6th June to learn more about life in the 12th Century.

 

  

Life in the Past Announced

We are very pleased to announce a brand new event developed by Iron Shepherds called Life in the Past! This two day event will be taking place amongst the ruins of Furness Abbey on 6th and 7th June 2015 from 11am - 5pm.

Day 1 - Meet the peasants and find out about their daily lives, how they farmed and how they worked. You can also watch a specially written mummers play to end the day!

Day 2 - Meet the monks and discover what life was like living in a Medieval abbey. There is also chance to meet some visiting nuns and take a tour of the holy site by one of the monks!

We are really excited to share this event with you and hope to see you there! Keep an eye out for further details as we release them by checking out our Facebook and Twitter.

Also take a look at our dedicated webpage ironshepherdslivinghistory.co.uk/lifeinthepast

Making a Horn Spoon, by Bertram

Recently I got some horn. I had wanted four small cow horns to utilise but I ended up with three nice small horns and one huge horn! I did not expect this. As I had such a large horn and not much use for it I decided I would try out making a horn spoon. I've never done it before and am always willing to try new crafts once! So this is what I did:

Step 1

I took the large horn and cut it in half so I was left with two pieces. The top piece (the larger piece) I then cut in half length ways ready for boiling.

Step 2

I placed one half in a cauldron of boiling water over a fire. The heat from the water makes the horn become more flexible and able to be shaped, or in my case flattened out. Once it was hot enough I removed it from the water for flattening.

 Step 3

I put the horn on a flat piece of wood then popped half a log on top of it and applied pressure. This flattened the flexible horn which meant I could then use it for spoon making.

Step 4

Now the horn was flat I could start cutting a spoon shape. I did this using a hack saw and a coping saw to give me the rough shape.

Step 5

Once cut I could use an abrasive material, like sandstone, to smooth the rough edges of the horn and polish it slightly. Once this was done I could then boil it again and shape the bowl of the spoon making a functional and usable utensil!

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Bertram's Bio:

Born near Daltune (Dalton-in-Furness) in 1116 Bertram had a hard start to life working the farm lands with his parents and brother Ernolf. In his teenage years he developed a passion for woodwork and enhanced his skills on a pole lathe. Now, when he isn't working the land, he travels the county selling his wares where he can to earn a crust. Making all sorts of wooden objects from bowls to spoons and even toys Bertram has gained a reputation for quality goods in many parts of the county and just about manages to stay afloat. 

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The Use of Wood in the 12th Century, by Bertram

Wood. Where to start with wood?

Well, it is one of the most commonly used and grown resources in my time and, I'm sure, in yours! Here in Furness we have many woodlands near our towns and villages and these woodlands are used readily to collect timber for a huge variety of uses.

Bertram's wooden creations

Here are just a few example of how we use wood:

• To build our houses. Wood is used to create the base frames for our homes and buildings. We also use willow and hazel branches to weave in our walls before covering them in daub (horse dung, clay and straw).
• To create our furniture. Wood is used to make any furniture we can afford, such as tables, chairs or stools. Being a peasant I can't afford much of this!
• To make utensils. Wood is used to make a large selection of utensils from spoons to bowls.
• To make tools. As utensils wood is used to make many different tools from mallets to textile weaving and net making tools.
• To make toys. Wood is used to make many different toys for children to play with including toy dolls.
• To build boxes and chests for storage. We all need storage solutions and for us boxes and chests are some of the best and wood is used to build them.

As you can see we do use wood, a lot! It is one of the most durable as well as cheapest resources to be found. Metal is a fantastic resource but it is very expensive. To create usable metal objects takes a massive amount of work; taking rocks, smelting them to get iron then blacksmithing it to create objects. It is not an easy process! But wood is easily accessible for all and easier to manipulate, although it is still a skill to work it well.

Tools for Working Wood

Woodworking tools

You can use many different tools to work wood but there is one tool that is a must; an axe! Axes are not only used to chop down trees but to also split and shape wood. There are many varieties of axe for various jobs, you can see a T-axe pictured here along with a selection of other tools. This is a small hand axe, perfect for shaping wood before further work. I use this to shape my bowl blanks ready to go on my lathe. The other tools seen here are a draw knife- a flat blade with two outer handles, this can be used by pulling the blade towards yourself to shave wood. A chisel- another staple for wood workers, chisels are used to remove wood and cut into wood. A twist auger- a small hand drill which can be used in a turning motion while applying pressure to drill a small hole. Two gouges- both used to gouge into wood, great for creating the bowls in spoons.

Bertram on his lathe

Woodturning, something I specialise in, is often undertaken in my time and is a way of creating usable objects, like bowls, by turning the raw material to shape it. The pole lathe is used to do this. A pole lathe is a piece of machinery, or a tool if you prefer, which uses a pole or two of green, flexible wood with rope attached to both the pole and a pedal. Pushing the pedal pulls the rope which in turn pulls the pole to create energy which can turn a piece of wood.

You can see here (left) myself turning a bowl. Attached to the wood being turned is another piece called a mandrel, of which the rope is wrapped around. This means that when the rope is pulled it turns the wood rapidly back and forth, with this motion you can then cut into the raw material, on the down turn, using a metal tool called a hook chisel. This is a long metal shaft with a hook on its end, this hook is sharp  and is what cuts the wood. Eventually, with a lot of work, patience and sweat you can end up with a bowl or another lathed item. I have used the lathe to create bowls, spoons, toy dolls and even other tools.

The pole lathe is a remarkable piece of machinery which has been around for many centuries. It's a simply constructed bit of kit which can do a powerful job and it is almost completely made from wood itself!

A basic stool

Some Examples of Wood Use

Furniture Making:

You can make many different types and variations of furniture with wood. From high end tables and chairs for the lords and ladies of the land to much more humble and basic furniture, like stools, for the common folk like my good self. Seen here (right) is a simple stool made from just four pieces of wood in a short amount of time. The top, or seat, is a piece of split log and the legs are three small branches. The branches are shaved at the top and slotted into holes drilled in the split log. Simple but effective! You may note that it is three legged, this is because three legs can sit better on rough ground and trust me, we have a lot of that around here! Of course using these same principles you can make tables, something often needed.

Wooden spoons

The making of spoons:

Spoons are commonly used across the country and are mostly made from wood. Only the wealthy can afford metal spoons and personally I think wooden ones are much better! They are easy enough to make, take a log, split it a few times to get some nice planks then either cut or shave it into shape. Finally carve out the bowl of the spoon and there you have it. Of course you can even turn spoons making lovely handles and deep bowls.

Wooden Children's Toys

Toys:

Ah, toys. Something we all have in some form when young. In our time toys are not only used for play but also for learning. Things like dolls can be used for young girls to play with but also make clothes for, thus learning the skill of sewing, something vital for later life. Toys like horses and spinning tops are also commonly made for play. Spinning tops often made from the discarded centers from bowls.

There are so many uses for wood it is hard to fit them all in here but hopefully these few examples will give you an idea of its importance in my time.

Wood is a durable, beautiful resource which I adore. Its uses are endless and without it where would we be?

Until next time,

Bertram

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Bertram's Bio:

Born near Daltune (Dalton-in-Furness) in 1116 Bertram had a hard start to life working the farm lands with his parents and brother Ernolf. In his teenage years he developed a passion for woodwork and enhanced his skills on a pole lathe. Now, when he isn't working the land, he travels the county selling his wares where he can to earn a crust. Making all sorts of wooden objects from bowls to spoons and even toys Bertram has gained a reputation for quality goods in many parts of the county and just about manages to stay afloat. 

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