WIN! A Family Ticket to Saxon Saga at West Horsley Place
WIN! A Family Ticket to Saxon Saga at West Horsley Place
You have the chance to win a family ticket to Saxon Saga at West Horsley Place on 24-25 October!
Saxon Saga: Living History & Fire Festival will bring the rhythms of Anglo-Saxon life to West Horsley Place, with a weekend centred on food, fire, craft, storytelling and community.
Taking place as autumn deepens and the days grow shorter, the festival will explore a way of life shaped by the natural year. Harvests had to be gathered and stored, food preserved, clothing and tools made and repaired, and preparations made for the colder, darker months ahead.
Across the weekend, living history group Herigeas Hundas will bring Anglo-Saxon life vividly to life, recreating the sights, sounds and skills of the period through a packed programme of demonstrations and activities. Visitors can watch traditional crafts such as smithing, spear making and woodworking, and even have a go themselves, with opportunities to try weaving, spinning yarn and rune stamping. Music, storytelling and combat displays will also offer fascinating insights into the beliefs, skills and everyday lives of the people who lived here more than a thousand years ago.
Younger visitors can also enjoy Saxon-inspired activities including shield making, painting and archery.
A series of talks will delve deeper into the world of the Saxons, exploring everything from wise women and plant dyeing to the ways of the warrior.
In the ancient kitchen at West Horsley Place, Jane’s Historical Kitchen will take visitors on a culinary journey into the Saxon world, preparing food and drinks inspired by recipes from the period. Through the ingredients, flavours and cooking methods, visitors can discover how closely food was shaped by the seasons – by what could be grown, gathered, stored and preserved – and by the ever-present fire on which meals were prepared.
Stories will be woven throughout the weekend, with regular storytelling sessions bringing the myths and legends of the period to life. Each day will culminate in a dramatic performance of Beowulf, the greatest of all Saxon epics, with the hero’s legendary battle against a mighty dragon unfolding as dusk falls.
And as night draws in, both days will end with a spectacular shared experience: visitors will gather around a handcrafted replica Saxon ship as it is set alight against the darkening sky. As flames rise and the ship is illuminated by fire, there will be a chance to pause, gather and enjoy the warmth and spectacle – evoking the communal rituals and traditions of centuries ago.
Competition closes on 12 October.
To enter the competition, simply fill your details into the form below.
