Royal Pageant at Beaulieu

To mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, a new exhibition has been unveiled in Palace House. Royal Pageant highlights the connections between Beaulieu and the Montagu family with royalty, stretching back over eight hundred years. Items on display include personal gifts given to the family by members of the Royal Family during their visits to Beaulieu and mementos from royal occasions the family has attended.

The story starts with the founding of Beaulieu Abbey by King John in 1204 and goes on to record the sale of the estate by Henry VIII to Thomas Wriothesley, the 1st Earl of Southampton at the time of the Dissolution in 1538. The family’s lineage is traced back to Royalty, through Lord Montagu’s direct ancestor, James, Duke of Monmouth, eldest illegitimate son of Charles II.
A display of photographs from the late 1800s record a number of significant royal visits, including the then Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, taking his first ride in a motor car with John Montagu in 1899, an impromptu visit by the German Emperor, Wilheim II, to Palace House in 1907, several visits by Queen Mary to Buckler’s Hard during Cowes week between 1926-1928 and George VI’s visit to the Beaulieu River to see preparations for the D-Day landings in 1944.

Coronation robes and coronets

Also on display are the coronation robes and coronets worn by generations of the Montagu family at every coronation since 1821 with the exception of George VI’s in 1937 as they were too big for the then, 10 year old Edward, the current Lord Montagu of Beaulieu. Instead, he wore a black velvet suit and carried a matching velvet bag containing sandwiches to sustain him through the long service. The coronation robes were last worn by Lord Montagu at Her Majesty, the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

Lord Montagu said: “My family and the Beaulieu Estate have connections with royalty going back over 800 years. We are direct descendents of William the Conqueror and Beaulieu Abbey was a royal foundation created by King John. Its dissolution was also a royal act, leading to the sale of the estate to my ancestor, since when the family has served King, Queen and country in various ways through the centuries.

“This exhibition illustrates these connections and stands as our small tribute to the dedication of our present Queen in serving the nation for over 60 years.”

Royal Pageant is on display in Palace House and can be viewed as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction. For further information on the exhibition visit www.beaulieu.co.uk

The Harewood Medieval Faire: Forsooth ... methinks this is Harewood’s Most Spectacular Event Yet 30 June - 1 July 2012

Come hither!! It’s the Middle Ages on a right grand scale at Harewood, verily close to Leeds and a crow’s flight from Harrogate.  A glorious pageant for peasants and noblemen alike!

... Not many locations can provide a Medieval backdrop for an event on such epic proportions: Harewood does just that with the Medieval Faire launching on 30th June.  It’s a date for the diary for all the family with the right ingredients to make this one of the North’s most spectacular events, combining all the excitement and horrible history of this extraordinary period, including jousting and archery, armoury displays, Norman skirmishes and encampments.  Plus there’s overnight camping so you can fully immerse yourself in all things Medieval and get a taste for the real thing. 

 It’s totally authentic at Harewood and, with the event kick starting a 5 year long Medieval celebration, the weekend mixes fun and learning with all the thrills of this magical period.  Medieval isn’t all about armaments and skirmishes, you can experience real life as it was for everyone in the Medieval period, with our archaeological dig of the newly excavated Gawthorpe Hall, enjoy our 12th century All Saints Church with its astounding alabaster tombs, and take a guided tour of our newly opened Harewood Castle to soak up the atmosphere of our Medieval ruins.   Enjoy crafts, cooking, clothing, puppet shows, games, falconry and storytelling.  Join in our family craft activities and make your own shields, crowns, swords, heraldry and beads.  Re-enactors will be on site throughout the event with a range of crafts, cooking and activities to bring the period alive or why not camp in one of our yurts, or sleep under your own canvas, and make the most of the weekend with our Medieval Banquet accompanied by traditional musical performances by the Grinnigogs and Celtaraba.  

• Explore C11th to C15th living history encampments.

• Meet Saxons staging their last stand against William the Conqueror.

• Encounter C12th military monks just as skilled in healing as in fighting.

• Would you have fought for the Yorkists or Lancastrians in the bloody Wars of the Roses?

• Spot the differences between the ‘chain maile’ as you meet knights through the ages.  Even have a go at trying on armour.

• Find out how people lived.  Enjoy the music, song and comedy.  Have a go at medieval dancing.

• Fall over laughing at the wacky comedy.

• Explore the fascinating medieval market.

• Take a tour to Harewood's C12th All Saints Church (which will also host a recreated medieval wedding each day).

• Visit the archaeological dig of the site of the original medieval manor, Gawthorpe Hall, which was demolished as part of a new Capability Brown landscape after the mansion we see today was finished in the C18th.

Tickets are on sale now so take advantage of some early bird price incentives or make the most of your Harewood membership discount, and be part of one of the UK’s most extraordinary Medieval event.  Enjoy a further discount for camping if you book before 31st May. 

Come thee hither and see for yourself!