I would like to attend a Playford Ball being proposed for 17th August near Durham. The organisers would like participants in suitable costume and would like unattached ladies to provide themselves with gentlemen dancing partners. They explicitly do not want women dancing together. If there is a gent...

With respect to the good Brother, plenty of smallholders during the "Good Life" revival of the'70's/80's tawed their own skins using the egg & alum method. They can be made very soft and supple, just needs plenty of elbow grease. I still use goat skins I tawed back in the day. If you a...

There'll be some re-enactors at the Morpeth Gathering April 6th-8th. I believe Time Bandits from Newcastle are running the battle on Sat & Sun but there'll be musicians and costume living historians too.

If all else fails, I've one for hire. Green wool lined with dark green linen. Flower pot henin head dress in matching green with black. Dress is free size. Belt might need extra holes punched through. If you're interested I'll try & find camera for photos.

Certainly not dirt common. They crop up fairly regularly in the specialist cookery booksellers catalogues. Give a shout if you put it on Ebay.

Thanks everyone, Gwen has now made contact with her dad.

Thanks everyone, Gwen has now made contact with her dad.

I'm not on Facebook and the like, so if anyone knows/knows of Gwen Mitchell could you pass word on that her Dad hasn't had any communication from her for 6 months or so and would appreciate it if she made contact. Gwen is early 30's, possibly in the Vike or Regia, has done weapons training and black...

I've been asked to put a call out for Gwen Mitchell to contact her Dad as he's getting concerned that she hasn't been in communication for 6 months or so. Gwen has been in Viking re-enactment, done weapons training and blacksmithing. Gwen is a well built lady, early 30's and may use a walking stick....

For a late Elizabethan gentleman farmer's Christmas, look at Thomas Tusser's 500 Points of Good Husbandry. There are various modern editions but my favourite is that edited by Dorothy Hartley. Stations of the Sun by Ronald Hutton is a very good summary of the evolution of Christmas, and other annual...

I've got a Beehive bread oven that's now looking for a new home as it hasn't been used for years. There are photos of it in use on the Rent a Peasant website http://www.rentapeasant.co.uk. It's made wonderful bread, pies, biscuits etc. Offers invited. I can deliver to Co. Durham, N. Yorks, Cumbria, ...

This blog on the Oxbow books website might be relevant (www.oxbowbooks.com)
Who wears the trousers? The History, Politics and Culture of Trousers

Here are some half hose in 3 sizes, made from a Copenhagen Museum pattern taken from a Greenland find. Originally made for a Medieval Fair, to go over trousers for men unused to wearing "skirts". In the event, it was a hot day so the men went with shorts and bare legs, so these were never ...

Apologies, forgot to check Inbox here for PM's. Now replying to enquiries with photos. Hopefully attached are photos of a medieval wool tunic, based on pattern from Bocksten man find, fulled wool, never been worn, has acquired some stains in storage; also wool hose from Bocksten man pattern. These h...

Many thanks for all enquiries received so far. Photos currently a problem as I can't find the camera & don't have a mobile, let alone one which takes photos. Will keep everyone posted as and when I find relevant kit/old photos.

blue trousers 1.5" hem, 28" inside leg (typo last time) 38" waist
Still looking for camera so no photos as yet
Say £20/pair plus P&P for the lot

Lesley Bentham of Yes! We Have National Costumes might be able to help. As far as I know, she's not on the web and I don't want to put her address and phone number here. However, her daughter, Tanya Bentham, contributes to this site, she does amazing embroidery & tablet weaving. Might be worth c...

Realistically, I've got a lot of kit for former male members of Rent a Peasant that no longer fits anyone and is taking up wardrobe space that could be used for new kit for me. Pictures can be seen on Rent a Peasant website. Eras cover Romano-British to Tudor, all hand made by me, no machine sewing....

I have some trousers that might be suitable Beige wool drill, inside leg 30", hem 2.5", waist 36", to be worn with braces Brown check wool tweed, inside leg 34", hem 2.5", waist 38", to be worn with braces Navy blue wool serge, 27" inside leg, waist 38", to be...

Eating with Victoria.
Dr Annie Gray is currently doing promotional talks for this forthcoming book. I went to one and she is a very good and entertaining speaker. Worth seeing if she comes to your area, or listening to if she's on radio.

Did you get sorted at the Jorvik markets? Queues were horrendous to get in but there was excellent kit on sale. I would have liked a closer look at the repro Viborg shirt, for example, but there were too many people in the way.

There's always Ikea for heavy weight linen.

If it's an interesting read, there is no need for a reply. It looks like your posts are of interest to a lot of viewers, irrespective of responses. I come here to read & be informed rather than write.

I'm in Co. Durham, usual spinning, chicken plucking, friendly mule etc. Out of interest, how is the current housing restriction for poultry affecting falconers? It looks like the housing requirement may extend beyond end Feb, hence I'm chary of offering baby chick option. Contact form on http://www....

I visit most days but there is rarely a topic that I can make a useful contribution to, so I don't log in.

Has anyone made a repro of this helmet? I could be interested in a child size one for Viking school visits, as it's a regional find.
I understand it's currently undergoing conservation work, so not on display.

The markets at Jorvik Viking Festival, held in February half term in York. Details on Jorvik Viking Centre website.

Welcome! Whereabouts in the country are you based?

Might be worth your while going to the re-enactors fair at Brancepeth Castle at the end of October to meet other interested parties. I'm just myself these days, and mostly do talks rather than full living history displays. Locally, there's Regia's Sancte Cuthbert's Land and the Vike's Dunholm group ...

I'd like these, will confirm by PM.