Event Name: ‘The Aldreth 950 – Hereward’s Last Stand!’
Event Arrangers: The WakeHereward Project and Aldreth Community Association
Event: Re-enactment Event and Festival at Aldreth near Haddenham, Camb’s.
Venue: Aldreth Village Hall and school playing fields, Postcode CB6 3PQ
Dates/Times: 3 x days: Weds 27th, Fri 29th and Sat 30th October.
What is it? Commemorative event celebrating the folk hero of the Fens, Hereward the Wake, on the 950th anniversary of the defeat of his forces at Aldreth. 1071 – 2021.
Significance: It was only when William the Conqueror defeated Hereward on the Isle of Ely on October 27th 1071 that he could claim to have control of all of England, some five years after the Battle of Hastings Hereward was England’s last man standing.
Aldreth was the frontline in the local war against the Normans. Located at the south western point of the Isle of Ely, it was on the main route from Cambridge to Ely and was a fortified inland port. Two 12th Century sources report of Hereward’s actions at Aldreth, when he set fire to the Fen and Normans in armour perished in a watery grave. On one occasion William the Conqueror employed the services of a witch to cast a spell upon the inhabitants of the Isle of Ely. The tower they built for her to stand upon and bellow out her incantations was duly set alight by Hereward and she fell to the floor and broke her neck.
Event Calendar Wednesday 27th October: ‘On the Conqueror’s Trail’ Commemoration Hike. Cambridge to Ely.
Start: Cambridge Castle 6am. Finish: Ely Cathedral 6pm (approx)
25 miles cross-fen history and heritage hike from Cambridge to Ely tracing the route that William the Conqueror took in his assault on the Isle of Ely. Experiencing important sites such as Crowlands Manor, Belsar’s Hill, Aldreth Causeway passing through the village of Aldreth. A small private group set off from Cambridge Castle at 6am arriving at Ely Cathedral around 6pm.
Following the trail that William the Conqueror took to access the Isle of Ely via Aldreth.
Friday 29th October: An Evening ‘Remembering Hereward’ event at Aldreth Village Hall. CB6 3PQ. 7pm to 10pm. Ticket only. £5 via Eventbrite.
Commemorative Presentations and Talks by Historians: Professor David Roffe. Dr. Sean Lang, Mike Petty and David Maile.
Saturday 3oth October: ‘Hereward’s Last Stand!’ Aldreth Playing Field, School Lane, CB6 3PQ. 11am to 6pm.
Medieval re-enactment Hereward’s Band of Men v the Normans. Living History. Archery. Stalls.
Running Schedule of main event:
11am Event Opening
12pm Hereward’s Last Stand Act 1 ‘The Camp of Refuge’ featuring Heather Bailey as Torfrida of St. Omer, Hereward’s wife.
1pm Act 2 ‘Hereward Returns!’ featuring Rory Gibson as Hereward, returning to the frontline at Ely after a sojourn abroad to recruit more troops.
2pm Act 3: ‘On the Conqueror’s Trail’ featuring Nigel Amos as William the Conqueror.
3pm Act 4 ‘Hereward’s Last Stand! – The Battle for Aldreth’ Hereward, Torfrida and their Band of Men fight against the Normans led by William the Conqueror.
4pm Act 5 ‘Burn the Witch!’ featuring Heather Bailey and Rory Gibson
Historical Background
The defeat of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings on October 14th 1066, when the French-Norman William ‘the Conqueror’ invaded and became England’s new king has been described as the most cataclysmic moment in the history of the English folk. William soon installed new Norman lords and built castles to control the population, the English were reduced to servitude and rebellion broke out across the country. One pocket of resistance was on the Isle of Ely where an outlaw known as Hereward was gaining support through his protracted guerrilla warfare campaign against the Normans. Attempts were made to gain access to the island but Hereward and his followers set light to the Fens and hundreds of Normans perished in a watery grave. William eventually undertook a great feat of engineering and rebuilt the causeway that crossed the inhospitable fens to Aldreth and on October 27th, through betrayal by the monks, William was able to get his men and heavy armour onto the island while Hereward made his escape.
The WakeHereward Project brings to Aldreth on 30th October a Living History re-enactment of Hereward’s Last Stand! Explore Hereward’s camp, meet his Band of Men and the Normans and enjoy a day commemorating the folk hero of the Fens for his stout defence of his people against the oppressive rule of William the Conqueror. The festival will be augmented with a commemorative hike ‘On the Conqueror’s Trail’ from Cambridge to Ely on October 27th exactly 950 years to the date that William took the Isle and on October 29th a commemorative event, an evening ‘Remembering Hereward’ with Historians Dr Sean Lang, David Maile, Professor David Roffe and Ely’s own Mike Petty.
Go to the website for event details: herewardthewake.co.uk
Contact: David Maile. WakeHereward Project: davidm@herewardthewake
From The WakeHereward Project
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