How to Rescue the Reputation of the Nasty Normans
The villains of British history, the Normans can be a difficult sell. But going off script has its rewards.
Earlier this year a town near me had a weekend festival with a French theme – French food, music, dancing and family games. There was no particular historical angle, but among the entertainment on offer was a group of medieval re-enactors, and appropriately for the theme they were representing Normans. Alongside Norman knights, there were priests, scribes and craftspeople giving demonstrations throughout the day.
Part of what they chose to re-enact, for the amusement of a casual festival audience, was a 12th-century Norman law court. This struck me as a novel and rather bold choice. Are vignettes from the Anglo-Norman legal system really a lively enough topic to entertain a family crowd on a Saturday afternoon?
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