Kingston Museum’s Saxon Fayre 2024 focused on the daily life of the Saxons living in Britain from 410-1066. It was held in Kingston upon Thames’s Market Place on July 27th 2024 where it brought together communities from around the borough and beyond to celebrate the amazing crafts, skills and expertise that have been in use since the Saxon period.
The Fayre had over twenty market stalls, performances, demonstrations, tours and family activities to take part in throughout the day. There was a working Saxon inspired forge where you could watch Blacksmiths making pendants and ornaments while the public helped to work the bellows. The forge itself had been built by Surbiton Community Forge just for this event. You could see flax growers from Kingston Hive who create linen from the plants they grow all around the borough in community gardens, schools and even at Kingston Museum! Kingston Beekeepers Association brought their live hive and also demonstrated how a Skep (Saxon Beehive from the 5th and 6th century) was made. We were joined by Surrey Archaeology who explained the history of the time, Kingston’s Rewilding Rangers who talked about the wildlife of the period and Habitats and Heritage who discussed the importance of preserving our area.
Some other highlights were the Little Sherwood’s farm animals and Imperial Bird of Prey Academy birds - who people fell in love with! The Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Liz Green and the Mayor of Malmesbury took part in a parade from Kingston Museum to the Market Place which was led by minstrels playing Saxon inspired music and followed by the Dark Ages Society and Haestingas Regia dressed as high classed soldiers from the 10th century who both staged a weapons display at the end of the day. At All Saints Church families made Saxon inspired pots and visitors also learnt how to play Tafl (Viking chess) in the market courtesy of Kingston Chess Club. The new treasure hunt game Heritage Hunt was launched and also many people took tours with the Kingston Tour guides to learn about Kingston’s Saxon history. You could also read our five metre history board, researched by local resident and Cambridge student Eliza Cane-Honeysett. The store holders themselves were wearing period tunics, made by a group of volunteers who worked once a week at Craft My Day, alongside their staff, to create them for the Fayre. We were also joined by representatives from Athelstan Museum in Malmsbury who ran a shop stall alongside Kingston Museum.
The Fayre had such a warm atmosphere, and this wasn’t just because of the perfect weather! It was a real celebration of our borough's creativity and heritage. In 2025 Kingston will mark the 1100th anniversary of the crowning of the first King of England, King Athelstan, with a borough-wide celebration, created in collaboration with local communities which will launch in spring 2025. We will be celebrating Kingston’s past, present and future and as part of those celebrations Kingston Museum are planning another Saxon experience which will include Kingston Museum's Saxon fayre! See you next year!
