Tudor & medieval history to be celebrated in Festival of Archaeology

By Simon Bristow

Hull’s medieval and Tudor history will be celebrated during the national Festival of Archaeology this month.

Three events will be taking place in Hull’s Old Town across the weekend of Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30.

The free events will be ‘Medieval Mayhem’ at the Museums Quarter on High Street, ‘Telling Tales of Tudor Hull’ at the site of the South Blockhouse on Tower Street, and the ‘Back to Life Festival’ at Hull Minster and Trinity Square. All are free, drop-in events.

Councillor Rob Pritchard, Hull City Council portfolio holder for culture and leisure, said: “There’s so much to do during the festival, which has been popular during previous years. All the events are free, and you can turn up when you want.

“It’s yet another reminder of the fascinating history we have in our city.”

From 11am to 4pm each day, the Museums Quarter will be transformed into a medieval encampment for ‘Medieval Mayhem’.

Visitors will come face-to-face with knights in armour, as the knights of the Medieval Combat Society display their skills during a series of demonstrations.

Audiences will also have the chance to delve deeper into what life was like in the medieval period by interacting with wandering medieval characters, enjoying live medieval music and pottery demonstrations, and exploring living history displays including medicine, fletching and cooking.

Throughout the weekend, visitors can take part in activities including making their own medieval-inspired pottery, as well as creating their own rainbow dragon in a special activity to celebrate Pride in Hull.

And for a small fee visitors can try their hand at archery.

From 10am to 3pm each day at the site of the South Blockhouse on Tower Street, visitors are invited to get creative and help tell the story of Tudor Hull.

They will have the chance to handle real artefacts from the site and talk to archaeologists to discover the stories behind the South Blockhouse.

They will also able to learn more about Hull’s maritime past and discover what it was like to navigate the Humber Estuary in Tudor times.

Families are invited to make a model sailing boat and test its seaworthiness in the drainpipe channel challenge, and can also make their own Tudor clothing in a craft activity in association with ScrapStore.

Also between 10am and 3pm, Hull Minster will bring its monuments back to life in an immersive, interactive experience for the whole family.

Visitors are invited to experience the tastes, smells, sights, and sounds of the church as it would have been in the 1400s and meet actors who will breathe life into some of Hull’s key historical figures.

They can explore archaeological discoveries, and handle objects from the Castle Street excavations, meeting historical figures who were involved in its management in the 1800s. 

They’ll cover a range of topics including grave robbing, health in Hull, the history of the church, and there will also be a chance to see historic medical exhibits. On loan from the Thackray Museum of Medicine are glass eyes, prosthetic limbs, medical tools and a skeleton to rebuild.

The day will include a heritage craft market along with arts and crafts for all ages and face-painting.