Shopping
We spent the day at the two big medieval markets. After the horrendous trip a couple of years ago, when we went on the Saturday, with the kids, a pram, and a long shopping list, this year we arranged to go on a weekday, without any children, and with only a few things to buy, and it was infinitely better!
We only really needed some green & red wool for Mstr A's new clothes next year (he needs clothes in the colours of his household as he will be a page), although we have been keeping an eye out for a couple of things all year. CQ came with us - it was her first medieval market & she needed basic equipment such as clothes, a spoon etc. We promised to steer her towards the better traders - ones that offered authentic goods, at reasonable prices. There are plenty who sell modern things in "medieval style", which are no good for living history re-enactment, and even more who think they can get away with charging the earth for substandard goods because they've got a captive market!
CQ soon found a nice spoon, and an undersdress and top dress. We bought our wool, and carried on wandering around.
BAD IDEA!
We soon spottted a butter churn & quirn stone on a stall we often buy from. We've been looking for either for over a year now, and this trader had promised he was getting some in, so naturally, we had to buy both! As he had a georgous wooden chest on display too, we thought we'd go for all three & get a deal on the price. Which we did, but it was still a lot to pay out! Aggie has promised to compartmentalise the chest so we can safely carry our pottery around next year - it does tend to get broken without a custom made box! So it is an investment really. Honest!
We also saw a nice knife for Mstr A, who is getting big enough to need one now. I was loathe to spend £30 on a real, hand made, authentic sharp for him, but when I spotted a "good enough" reproduction for a fiver, I thought it was too good to miss. Aggie will have to make a sheath for it, then it will be an Xmas present. On our way out, we spotted a couple of eating spikes for us too - again, at a good price, and something that we've been wanting for a while, but the money was mounting up. Aggie alos saw some nice lamps for outside the tent. He's been looking for these for ages, but nothing was authentic! But we did manage to pass these up:-) Maybe next year!
Still, we managed to avoid buying any big shiny things - most of the group was up there, and many were wandering around with new swords or amour - which are excruciatingly expensive (they have to be well-made, strong enough to withsatnd real battles, and comply to modern health & safety standards), so all in all, it was a good day.
Plus Nanny A finally exchanged contracts on her house today, so she will definitely be moving next week! Hurrah!
We only really needed some green & red wool for Mstr A's new clothes next year (he needs clothes in the colours of his household as he will be a page), although we have been keeping an eye out for a couple of things all year. CQ came with us - it was her first medieval market & she needed basic equipment such as clothes, a spoon etc. We promised to steer her towards the better traders - ones that offered authentic goods, at reasonable prices. There are plenty who sell modern things in "medieval style", which are no good for living history re-enactment, and even more who think they can get away with charging the earth for substandard goods because they've got a captive market!
CQ soon found a nice spoon, and an undersdress and top dress. We bought our wool, and carried on wandering around.
BAD IDEA!
We soon spottted a butter churn & quirn stone on a stall we often buy from. We've been looking for either for over a year now, and this trader had promised he was getting some in, so naturally, we had to buy both! As he had a georgous wooden chest on display too, we thought we'd go for all three & get a deal on the price. Which we did, but it was still a lot to pay out! Aggie has promised to compartmentalise the chest so we can safely carry our pottery around next year - it does tend to get broken without a custom made box! So it is an investment really. Honest!
We also saw a nice knife for Mstr A, who is getting big enough to need one now. I was loathe to spend £30 on a real, hand made, authentic sharp for him, but when I spotted a "good enough" reproduction for a fiver, I thought it was too good to miss. Aggie will have to make a sheath for it, then it will be an Xmas present. On our way out, we spotted a couple of eating spikes for us too - again, at a good price, and something that we've been wanting for a while, but the money was mounting up. Aggie alos saw some nice lamps for outside the tent. He's been looking for these for ages, but nothing was authentic! But we did manage to pass these up:-) Maybe next year!
Still, we managed to avoid buying any big shiny things - most of the group was up there, and many were wandering around with new swords or amour - which are excruciatingly expensive (they have to be well-made, strong enough to withsatnd real battles, and comply to modern health & safety standards), so all in all, it was a good day.
Plus Nanny A finally exchanged contracts on her house today, so she will definitely be moving next week! Hurrah!
posted by Juggling Mother @ 6:50 pm
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