Knights, redcoats and airmen as history comes alive in Huntingdon

The Festival has expanded in its second year, with more events taking place in other communities outside of Huntingdon, including Ramsey, St Neots and Buckden.

Saturday sees the start of a two-day medieval re-enactment at Castle Hill Park in Huntingdon.

Members of the Wars of the Roses Federation will be recreating life in the 15th century as well as staging a daily battle from the 1470s on the site of the castle.

Other re-enactments include an English Civil War day in St Neots on Saturday July 6; World War II airmen taking over Huntingdon Town Hall on Sunday, July 14, and a major Napoleonic battle re-enactment in Huntingdon on the weekend of July 20 and 21.

The festival includes lots of guided walks and tours of Huntingdonshire, exploring aspects of our local history, special nature walks; musical events to cover all tastes from 17th century music to wartime swing; and family activities which include everything from brass rubbing to helping construct an enormous LEGO timeline in Huntingdon library of the history of the area, from Bronze Age trackways to the modern A14.

Mike Addis, chair of the Huntingdonshire History Festival, says: “This is the second year of the festival, and we’ve been delighted by all the support that we’ve had in the form of various grants and volunteers to help organise many more events right across our ancient county.

“We have over 60 events taking place this year, with at least one thing to do every day of the month-long festival and something during the programme to suit everyone’s tastes and interests.”

The full Huntingdonshire History Festival programme can be found online at www.huntshistoryfest.com