Post by Dave on Jan 20, 2011 17:20:28 GMT
What is it about old castles that I love so much; it matters not if they are complete, or as it’s normally the case complete ruins. I don’t really know the real answer but maybe just being inside one lets my imagination run away with me. I can close my eyes and the castle will come to life and while I don’t think I would really want to have lived back in those days, they do seem to have a very special sort of magical appeal to me.
I’m not in anyway a political sort of person and care not one hoot about roundheads and cavaliers, but I do know I have a very strong dislike for that man Cromwell, because he clearly lacked any negotiation skills and so just knocked down or destroyed most of the castles in this country instead. That to me is such a shame that so many of these incredible structures are now lost forever, or are just now ruins.
When you think about castles what comes into your mind? I can think of so many things myself and one of the top ones would be knights and such things as jousting tournaments
For so many years we had the largest and the one that just happened to be the first to produce medieval jousting tournaments in this century, on our doorsteps here in South Devon.
The excitement and spectacular adventure of the Winship Medieval Tournament stems from a long and productive working relationship some five generations back tracing their roots to the start of circus with Astley's Circus where the Winship's brought their centuries' old knowledge and riding skills to the world of entertainment and fine horsemanship under the Big Top.
Born in the blood would be no understatement to describe Geoff Winship who in the Winship family tradition was lifted from cradle to horseback within a few hours of birth and so began to learn the skills and dedication needed to survive and prosper in the hard testing life of the travelling circus. Through strength and resolute determination Geoff became a fearless, trick rider, an accomplished acrobat on the high wire, and mastered the intricate skills and fine sense of balance essential to the trapeze artist. Geoff Winship's dash and daring proved a popular entertainment in the true circus tradition.
In his teenage years Geoff worked at the Bradford Alhambra theatre for Francis Laidler. It was here where he learned all the aspects of production vital to modern theatre, a valuable experience which would be brought to fruition in the next stage of his career.
Here chance played a guiding hand. In 1966 Geoff was invited to produce and direct a Medieval Jousting Tournament for a newly opened entertainment centre at Heysham Head. From such small and fairly basic beginnings just four mounted knights engaged in combat the Winship Jousting Tournament moved from success to success. That opening season lasted for nineteen weeks performing to full houses with spectators queuing for more. And so the seeds of success were planted to grow into the Winship organization that we are so familiar with today. The Jousting Tourney blossomed and spread to become one of the foremost arena spectaculars of Europe.
Yes from that very first season in 1966 at Heysham Head,Morecambe grew the very much larger touring show that can be seen today, only it’s not been around these parts for a number of years now. It was at Powderham Castle in 1982/83 & returned in 2000 as a permanent attraction (courtesy of The Earl & Lady Devon) The Tourney was staged in the Deer Park with the Magnificent Castle as a Backdrop
For what ever reason they were told at the end of 2005 they could no longer use Powderham Castle and for the 2006 season set up in a field just outside of Dawlish. As you leave Dawlish you soon come to the right hand turning that takes you to Dawlish Warren and the field was about 400 yards along this road on the right hand side.
I believe they used the field for two seasons in total before moving out of the area completely. An hour before each show was due to start, a knight on a horse could be found on the piece of grass just before the turning for the Dawlish Warren Road, pointing the way to the tournament.
During those two years the main man himself would attend local carnivals such as the one we have here in Paignton, in full dress on his horse with a few other knights helping to give the carnival something extra, while taking the opportunity to promote their show.
I believe after they left Devon they went and set up somewhere in the New Forest and then moved onto where they were last season Baskerville Hall in Wales. Mind you they were not best pleased with an incident that happened while at Baskerville Hall last season. It was the theft of the show parade helm worn by Sir Simon Edgin himself.
A mounted knight was positioned at the end of the drive by the road side, when an articulated truck and trailer (the driver being on the phone) mounted the kerb causing the horse to rear and throw the rider, thankfully with no injury to horse or rider.While the knight was trying to attend to his horse, a white Ford Escort van pulled up, someone jumped out, grabbed the helm, and then drove off in the direction of Brecon.
The helm is painted red and green to match the livery on the knight’s costume, with a crest mounted on the top in the form of a large white swan. The crest is unique and was especially sculpted and encased in fibre glass. The whole thing is approx two foot high, and cannot be replaced.
Carol and I went to the very first show that took place in the field near Dawlish in 2006. It was a shame it was not full and I remember thinking I hope they took all the money they needed during the season as it really would be a shame to see such a show just die and be lost forever.
The horses and the costumes are simply spectacular and while the script in my view was maybe just a bit corny, it was two hours of enjoyment as far as we were concerned. As with all these sorts of touring shows, they try and make what money they can and so charging to ride the horses was something to be expected, but it was not that expensive and the kids sure loved riding them.
I remember the day for another reason mind you, a very sore and badly bruised head. I went outside at half time for a smoke and as I turned around one side of the outside, walked into an iron support bar and the impact knocked me to the ground. At my height I should have seen the bloody thing or at least not been tall enough to bang into it.
Should it ever return this way again I’ll take my grandchildren to see it, I’m sure they will love it, but then I know the kid in me will enjoy it again as much as I did the first time I ever saw it.
I’m not in anyway a political sort of person and care not one hoot about roundheads and cavaliers, but I do know I have a very strong dislike for that man Cromwell, because he clearly lacked any negotiation skills and so just knocked down or destroyed most of the castles in this country instead. That to me is such a shame that so many of these incredible structures are now lost forever, or are just now ruins.
When you think about castles what comes into your mind? I can think of so many things myself and one of the top ones would be knights and such things as jousting tournaments
For so many years we had the largest and the one that just happened to be the first to produce medieval jousting tournaments in this century, on our doorsteps here in South Devon.
The excitement and spectacular adventure of the Winship Medieval Tournament stems from a long and productive working relationship some five generations back tracing their roots to the start of circus with Astley's Circus where the Winship's brought their centuries' old knowledge and riding skills to the world of entertainment and fine horsemanship under the Big Top.
Born in the blood would be no understatement to describe Geoff Winship who in the Winship family tradition was lifted from cradle to horseback within a few hours of birth and so began to learn the skills and dedication needed to survive and prosper in the hard testing life of the travelling circus. Through strength and resolute determination Geoff became a fearless, trick rider, an accomplished acrobat on the high wire, and mastered the intricate skills and fine sense of balance essential to the trapeze artist. Geoff Winship's dash and daring proved a popular entertainment in the true circus tradition.
In his teenage years Geoff worked at the Bradford Alhambra theatre for Francis Laidler. It was here where he learned all the aspects of production vital to modern theatre, a valuable experience which would be brought to fruition in the next stage of his career.
Here chance played a guiding hand. In 1966 Geoff was invited to produce and direct a Medieval Jousting Tournament for a newly opened entertainment centre at Heysham Head. From such small and fairly basic beginnings just four mounted knights engaged in combat the Winship Jousting Tournament moved from success to success. That opening season lasted for nineteen weeks performing to full houses with spectators queuing for more. And so the seeds of success were planted to grow into the Winship organization that we are so familiar with today. The Jousting Tourney blossomed and spread to become one of the foremost arena spectaculars of Europe.
Yes from that very first season in 1966 at Heysham Head,Morecambe grew the very much larger touring show that can be seen today, only it’s not been around these parts for a number of years now. It was at Powderham Castle in 1982/83 & returned in 2000 as a permanent attraction (courtesy of The Earl & Lady Devon) The Tourney was staged in the Deer Park with the Magnificent Castle as a Backdrop
For what ever reason they were told at the end of 2005 they could no longer use Powderham Castle and for the 2006 season set up in a field just outside of Dawlish. As you leave Dawlish you soon come to the right hand turning that takes you to Dawlish Warren and the field was about 400 yards along this road on the right hand side.
I believe they used the field for two seasons in total before moving out of the area completely. An hour before each show was due to start, a knight on a horse could be found on the piece of grass just before the turning for the Dawlish Warren Road, pointing the way to the tournament.
During those two years the main man himself would attend local carnivals such as the one we have here in Paignton, in full dress on his horse with a few other knights helping to give the carnival something extra, while taking the opportunity to promote their show.
I believe after they left Devon they went and set up somewhere in the New Forest and then moved onto where they were last season Baskerville Hall in Wales. Mind you they were not best pleased with an incident that happened while at Baskerville Hall last season. It was the theft of the show parade helm worn by Sir Simon Edgin himself.
A mounted knight was positioned at the end of the drive by the road side, when an articulated truck and trailer (the driver being on the phone) mounted the kerb causing the horse to rear and throw the rider, thankfully with no injury to horse or rider.While the knight was trying to attend to his horse, a white Ford Escort van pulled up, someone jumped out, grabbed the helm, and then drove off in the direction of Brecon.
The helm is painted red and green to match the livery on the knight’s costume, with a crest mounted on the top in the form of a large white swan. The crest is unique and was especially sculpted and encased in fibre glass. The whole thing is approx two foot high, and cannot be replaced.
Carol and I went to the very first show that took place in the field near Dawlish in 2006. It was a shame it was not full and I remember thinking I hope they took all the money they needed during the season as it really would be a shame to see such a show just die and be lost forever.
The horses and the costumes are simply spectacular and while the script in my view was maybe just a bit corny, it was two hours of enjoyment as far as we were concerned. As with all these sorts of touring shows, they try and make what money they can and so charging to ride the horses was something to be expected, but it was not that expensive and the kids sure loved riding them.
I remember the day for another reason mind you, a very sore and badly bruised head. I went outside at half time for a smoke and as I turned around one side of the outside, walked into an iron support bar and the impact knocked me to the ground. At my height I should have seen the bloody thing or at least not been tall enough to bang into it.
Should it ever return this way again I’ll take my grandchildren to see it, I’m sure they will love it, but then I know the kid in me will enjoy it again as much as I did the first time I ever saw it.