I don’t know anything about the Civil War.

Don’t worry, quite a lot of us didn’t know much to start with, and we’re still learning too!  Every year more information becomes available to help us with our research and ensure we are as authentic as possible.

Where do you stay when you’re at an event?

The majority of us stay on what’s called the ‘plastic camp’.  This is where we have all our modern camping equipment and can relax away from the public gaze.  At most events if there’s no pub close by, the organiser will arrange for us to have a beer tent on site so we can relax, and quite often sing, well into the night.

Is the camp secure?

The organising regiment will set up a guard tent at the entrance with a rota of willing volunteers to run it throughout the event.  Upon arrival you will be asked to sign in and given a sheet with local shops, banks and other relevant information listed for your convenience.  Each regiment camps together and this also aids with security, especially when it comes to children.  Once we get to know faces we can all keep a lookout for each others children, as they soon make friends and start playing together.

Do you make your own clothing?

Some of our members do make their own clothing and go to great lengths to be as authentic as possible.  Thankfully, for those of us less able to sew, there are many traders who provide an excellent service at a reasonable cost.

What about my dog?

Dogs are welcome to come along.  However, we do ask that you exercise them well away from the campsite and naturally that you clean up after them.  Please bear in mind though that there will be a lot of noise during the day, so if your dog is of a nervous nature around bonfire night, it might be kinder to leave your beloved pet with relatives or a neighbour.