Including Conroi de Vey in your event
Conroi de Vey is an historical re-enactment group based in Nottingham specialising in recreating Anglo-Saxon and Norman life as accurately and authentically as we can. We are part of the nationwide Early Middle Ages re-enactment society Regia Anglorum.
We demonstrate the life, crafts and skills of the people mainly of the 9th to 11th centuries from Ceorl to Eorl (peasant to noble) as authentically as possible. We aim to educate and entertain the public with our military and living history skills at organised events, portraying Saxons, Vikings or Normans based on your requirements.
Conroi is an old Norman word for a war band. Our warriors train regularly to ensure our warfare display is spectacular as well as safe. We are happy to display military skills from battles to single combat using spears, swords and axes.
Our Living History Exhibit (LHE) is excellent and we have a number of experts among our ranks who are able to talk about the period and demonstrate a wide range of skills. All of our craft demonstrations use only the tools, techniques and materials that would have been available and familiar to the people of the period.
Craft demonstrations in our repertoire include:
- Living. Discussions on life in the Middle Ages, including Rank in society, the general standard of living, clothing of the period, warfare, story telling and Religion.
- Textiles. The complex and fascinating world of textile manufacture, comprising hand spinning, natural dyeing with some surprisingly bright colours, tablet weaving, loom weaving, sprang and naalbinding.
- Woodworking. The wood craftsmen in the early Middle Ages were known as Treowwyrhtan. We can show some of their skills including pole lathe turning for bowls and beakers, decorative and functional wood carving and can discuss ship and dwelling construction.
- Leatherworking. Leather is used for many items including shoes, scabbards, belts and bags.
- Food and drink preparation. We usually prepare and cook a range food available to people of the early Middle Ages including grinding corn on a quern stone. Although we cannot let the public taste this food (due to health and safety considerations) we are happy to discuss the food on display, together with hunting and farming practices.
- Arms & armour. The armourers of the period were highly skilled. We can let you handle armour and weapons and show you how a mail shirt is constructed. You can see how they are used in our combat display.
We can liven up a village fete, be part of a County show or be the sole attraction for an event. Please contact us to discuss your requirements or to find out more about what we do. Two of our members wrote a little about what we got up to at the Tollerton Village Fête, you can read all about it here.