Medieval Memories at The Robin Hood Pageant

Nottingham's Robin Hood Pageant is a one-of-a-kind event, celebrating the thrilling tales of noble outlaw Robin Hood. Set in the beautiful grounds of Nottingham Castle, high on Castle Rock, this immersive experience transports guests deep into the past, with the sights, sounds and smells of medieval England, entertainment from a motley crew of minstrals, knights, craftspeople, and of course the man himself, Robin Hood. Sandie Taylor went along in 2016 to discover more about this fantastic event. Here's what she found...
 

As we walked through the Castle archway, the first thing that hit us was the sounds!  What was normally a haven of tranquillity, was so alive with the clank of metal on metal, music and the general hum of medieval village life that we were instantly transported back in time.

Minstrels and jesters roamed amongst the crowds, entertaining us with stories and songs as we headed for the military camp and village, where we saw baskets being woven, wood carvers busy carving out bowls and utensils and were impressed at arrows being made by the “fletcher”, which is apparently what an arrow maker is called. 

The blacksmiths’ forge was our particular favourite and we watched fascinated as he fashioned metal into tools and weapons that Robin and his Merry Men would have used in their battles again the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. 

We also loved watching the children practise their archery skills and were captivated seeing how people used to live in the shadow of the Castle all those years ago.

After a trip to the Castle shop, where we chose Robin Hood Hats to wear, we became Merry Men ourselves, and sought out some of the characters of the time.  We weren’t disappointed either, as we met not just the real Robin Hood and his trusty sidekick, Friar Tuck but the evil Sheriff too, who were only to keen to pose for photographs.

We were all looking forward to the entertainment on the Castle Green, and we weren’t disappointed; as we watched realistic sword fights that had us holding our breaths, stunning falconry displays by beautiful majestic birds and the amazing horseback jousting competition really concluded what had been a truly memorable day and one that we’d recommend to anyone.

The Robin Hood Pageant takes place on Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th March 2018. Book morning or afternoon tickets to see the thrilling joustig matches, sample delicious hot food, sip craft ales, and find out if Robin will be victorious in his fight against the Sheriff of Nottingham! For more details and to book tickets, please click here.