Wassail! We are a historical re-enactment society, founded in 1974 at Weymouth College, who recreate life in Britain in the time of King Alfred the Great. During this period, the late ninth century A.D., Vikings and Anglo-Saxons competed for control of the land. It was a time of both turmoil and opportunity for warriors, settlers, religious folk and traders.
Unlike many other re-enactment societies, our primary focus is on our historical characters, portraying the warriors, craftspeople, politicians, priests, and farmers who lived in this troubled age. As well as public displays, we run private plot events with freeform skirmishes in woodlands, in which our historical characters and their units are presented with a situation derived from history (or myth) and seek to resolve it in their different ways – which often involve fighting! We’re currently fighting our way through the 880s – you can read about how it’s going in the DAS Chronicle. After the day’s combat is over, we return to our hall where we practice craft skills and enjoy a glorious banquet, feasting and celebrating in the style of the Dark Ages. No swords are drawn at banquets, but there is normally still much plotting and verbal sparring between the Saxons and the Vikings, as all jostle for power and prominence…
While most of our events are our unique mix of re-enactment and roleplay, we also do public displays, including battle re-enactments, crafts displays, storytelling and living history. There we use our characters to bring history to life for the public.
We welcome new members who share our passion for matters Dark Age, and are always interested in new display opportunities to add to our regular performances. You can read more about the society here: What is the Dark Ages Society?
Please Contact Us if you would like more information – or take a look at our Events Diary to see what’s happening near you.
Please come back soon to catch the latest from DAS.