Was Du Hael, Greetings and welcome.

This part of my website is dedicated to my Viking re-enactment persona,

Guthroth of the Temesvikings


I am a member of two re-enactment societies in the UK, The Vikings the largest and oldest UK-based Dark/Viking Age re-enactment society, and Regia Anglorum, another large UK re-enactment society specialising in Anglo-Saxons. Over the last 3-4 years I have not been to many Regia functions due to other conflicting events, but I usually get to between 3 and 10 events each year with my local Vikings group The Temesvikings.

This is not SCA - style re-enactment. We all fight with rebated steel weapons, authentic open-faced helms, and often little or no body armour. It's much safer than it sounds, as regular practice ensures that all members are well trained in the art of 'pulling' blows so that although there is contact, there is no injury. After all we fight to 'Kill' but not hurt each other.

This is me on the right.The photo taken in early 2001 at Portchester Castle which overlooks Portsmouth harbour and has been a fortress for almost two thousand years, first for the Romans, then the Saxons, then the Normans then as a Napoleonic prisoner of war camp, and finally as a place to mount AA guns during WW2.
On the left is my son Matthew and our Geteld. He's 14 now and is with me at most of the events I go to. Just as well really, as under early medieval law boys were legally adults at the age of 12, and were old to serve in the army, so nowadays we come as a fully equipped pair, father and son on campaign together, both with our ring shirts, helmets, and weapons. Since most of our events have sizeable authentic campsites, we usually sleep in the tent

Finally, This photo shows
the majority of my local Vikings
group posing at an event in
South London in May 2002.
We're a mixed bunch as this
photo shows. Also visible is
one of our authenti-tents plus
the group awning striped red
and white, the group colours.

Hastings 2000

A major preoccupation of mine over the past few years has been the Hastings 2000 event in which I was heavily involved, both as an authenticity bod and contact for the many overseas re-enactors who took part. On the Sunday afternoon over 1000 authentically armed and equipped foot and 100 Norman cavalry re-enacted the last moments of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom in front of 15,000 paying public. Small wonder I have since described it as one of the best afternoons of my life.

Clicking here takes you to an index of websites of photos of the event.

There will be another international invitational re-enactment of the Battle Of Hastings, probably in 2005 or 2006. If you send me an email from the front page I will send an invite to join the Smartgroups mailing list dedicated to the upcoming event.

Over the last couple of years I have developed a special interest in the Eastern Viking culture sometimes called the 'Rus' vikings, and that most famous body of troops, The Varangian Guards. This is more fully pursued on the website for The Cherson Garrison. This acts as the focus for a Special Interest Group for some of us within The Vikings as well as a UK Contact point for the New Varangian Guard. This is an Australian re-enactment body specialising in the armies and enemies of the Byzantine Empire.

There is lots more information to be learned from the page above including a link to the main NVG site in Australia.

Click here to return to the front page.
 
This site is always under construction (last updated 20th May 2002) so please visit again soon.