800 year history of the people who lived and worked in the Dockyard brought to life at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
News release issued: 7th September 2007A cast of hundreds will recreate the 800 year history of the people who lived and worked in the Historic Dockyard at a new event Dockyard 800 on September 15th – 16th 2007.
Since Richard 1st granted the town called Portsmouth its first charter and ordered a dock to be built in 1194, the Dockyard has been associated with defence.
During its 800 year history it has played a key part in the build up of the King’s Fleet and latterly the Royal Navy. In its time, the Dockyard played a significant part in the Industrial Revolution and was the world’s centre for mast-making. The Royal Navy is still a very important part of the working naval base and shipbuilding has made a successful return, in addition the heritage area is now amongst the country’s leading tourist attractions.
Dockyard 800 offers visitors the chance to meet the people who may have wandered through the Royal Dockyard. The weekend will include displays of drills, arms and armour, cannon and musket firing, music and naval rope-making.
Representing the medieval period, The Purbrook Bowmen will demonstrate medieval archery and battles will be re-enacted by the Erpyngham retinue; a band of 15th century knights, archers and men-at-arms from the Battle of Agincourt. The Mary Rose will receive a special visit from King Henry VIII himself with all his wives and visitors will be able to witness Tudor cooking and music.
Sailors from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries will be stationed around HMS Victory and on board HMS Warrior 1860. Highlights will include an 8 man gun crew who will be manning and firing HMS Victory’s 12 pounder cannon that was cast in 1805. This cannon will be set on a replica of HMS Victory’s upper gun deck which has been kindly loaned for the event by English Heritage. There will also be the History Horse, a mounted customs officer who will be giving equestrian displays.
Victorian daily life will be on show including an opportunity to make Victorian rope and a gruesome display from a Victorian surgeon.
M33, WW1 Monitor will be brought to life by the Bluejackets and the site will be visited by the Antarctic Adventurers with original artefacts from Capitan Scott’s era. Military vehicles from WWII and since will be displayed along with music from the 1940s with singing group The Spitfires, which visitors will be encouraged to join in with. The timeline will be brought up to the Falklands conflict in 1982 with the 2nd Battalion Parachute Living History Group.
The popular Local Haunts bus will be transporting the re-enactors to the Historic Dockyard on both days.
