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June 18, 2004
Medieval fever?
It's approaching that time of year again when the streets and fields of Tewkesbury are thronged with people in medieval dress for the space of the second weekend in July. A large "encampment" grows on the old Battlefield on the Friday and a Fair is erected around it. By Sunday afternoon it is all being taken down and put away, but, in the iterim, there will have been a series of re-enactments of the Battle of Tewkesbury (which actually happened on the 4th May 1471), a large Fayre with a very wide range of stalls for all tastes, a Said Mass on the Sunday morning, and all the while a large throng of people, all in period costume, roaming the streets, attending the Abbey's regular services, and generally bringing a part of the history of this ancient river and market town to life.
A pair of longbowmen stroll through the camp, their bows unstrung and carried on the shoulder.
I will admit that it is a bit disconcerting to look out of one's window and see someone walking past in armour, or any of the variety of colourful and flamboyant outfits the medieval peoples enjoyed. It is the range of pale colours which at first intrigued me. Surely these could not be authentic? Surely they wore dark colours - perhaps the darker reds, purples, blues, browns and blacks? A visit to a talkented lady who makes these costumes using the authentic materials and the same tools as a medieval seamstress, soon disabused me of that notion. The dark dyes, red, purple, blue and black were the most difficult to make, the most difficult to apply evenly and effectively - and even when successfully used, soon faded - and were fantastically expensive. Therefore only the extremely wealthy could afford to wear the darker colours. Simple when you know, and even more importantly - if you have only one suit of outer garments - the paler colours wore well, remained reasonably colourful for far longer, and thus your garment lasted.
Only the Church, and the Kings, Dukes, and similarly wealthy people could afford the Black, purple, blue, and red dyed clothe! Thus, they stand out from the crowd. A different meaning perhaps to the wearing of black clothes than we would today associate with it.
Looking back, the world seemed a much simpler place, yet, even then, life was full of dilemmas. While some things may seem, with hindsight, to have been better, we should take a look at them without the rose tinted glasses! This was an age when powerful men held that power by the sword. Only the very rich or the people living in very remote parts could afford to ignore this. The simple things that we enjoy - the leisure occassioned by the ability to simply go to the shop for bread, milk, meat, and other foods, was not quite so simple then. Clothing was a frighteningly expensive item, so the vast majority of people made do with only one set of clothes for most of their adult lives. Disease, poor diet, and sheer hard work wore them out fairly early, so they seldom lived much past 45 if they were lucky. Those that did had better have been wealthy or have an overlord who would help them in old age, because there was no state help and the old and infirm simply struggled on until the dropped if they were unlucky enough to have no one to support them.
The Church, too, was no sinecure - unless you were lucky enough to be the son of a wealthy "patron", you were unlikely to rise to the lofty position of an Abbot, Bishop, or Archbishop. While the laity were illiterate and steeped in superstition, any test of faith would have shown an uncommonly high level of belief. Whether or not it would be taken today as a belief in the tenets of the Gospel, or simply a matter of superstitious belief raised by the dire paintings on many church walls and the constant exhortations, threats, and cajolings of the Church is another question. Such was the power of this belief that the Abbot of Tewkesbury could, armed only with the Monstrance and Blessed Sacrament, drive the fighting soldiers from the nave of his Abbey Church and then deny the King entry when he tried to enter armed to seize the Lancastrians taking shelter there.
Faith arises from belief, and it is certain that those who lived at this time had few doubts as to the existence of God. One of the benefits that they did have in this respect was their close association with the annual seasonal cycle and the simplicity of their lifestyle. Men like Abbot Stresham, a man of phenomenal faith himself, were also good pastors to those who turned to them in faith. Children's toys and shoes, household utensils, and other items recovered during the restoration of the roof of the Abbey in the 1970's have all been dated to the period of the Battle. Our records are enigmatic (probably because the King would have exacted his displeasure had he known), but other sources suggest that the Abbot had the woman and children of the town hidden in his roof voids during the three days the Yorkists and Lancastrians were busy here. Small wonder then that this place has such a special feel about it.
Our Vicar now occupies the former Abbot's House, the public face of which is still very much as Strensham would have known it. Uniquely for a Vicarage, it has its own Chapel, as well as a large space now referred to as the Abbot's Parlour, and very likley a formal hall for receiving lay visitors when it was the home of the Abbot.
The former Abbot's Lodge, now Abbey House, residence of the Vicar of Tewkesbury Abbey. The Chapel is the large bay window on the left.
Just as the town is enlivened by the presence of the Medieval role players, so, too, is the Abbey, and this year, particularly, we will extend our work among them - at their request. For at least one Reader and the Servers this will be quite a weekend - we are in Glastonbury on Saturday for the annual pilgrimage and High Mass in the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey - and then at the Abbey with the "Battle" throng on Sunday. It will be a very medieval weekend.
If it also provides a vehicle for the Lord to do His work in the world, then we are glad to be a part of it. It will be fun, and it will almost certainly provide us with a fresh insight into the road of Faith.
Posted by The Gray Monk at June 18, 2004 09:07 PM