Do you fancy a weekend sword fight or touring a castle dressed as a laundress? Volunteers devoted to ‘living history’ events explain their enduring appeal
horse in colourful medieval garb ambles past, its rider heading off to the first sword fight of the day. From across the fence, music from a group of jitterbug dancers boogie-woogies through the air. And here, in a small field dotted with picnic benches, a group of red-coated cavaliers are preparing for a musket demonstration.
Attitudes towards gender roles in living history wobble precariously from one group to the next, as do opinions about historical anomalies. Some believe that if there’s no evidence for something in history, there’s no place for it in re-enactment. But these sticklers for total accuracy quickly slip into sticky, problematic issues of exclusion. A man dressed as part of the American army in the second world war gives me an even look when I ask about women joining his regiment.
Proietti’s long-held desire to volunteer for the National Trust runs in the family; her aunt has her certificate for 50 years of service. “I used to bring my own children here and it had a magical impact on them,” she says of Bodiam. “Seeing all this and hearing the stories behind it is important to help them realise that history is not static.” Though neither are trained actors, their careers in teaching, Mattock says, have made each a bit of a natural performer.
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