The cluaran boat was in Whithorn last weekend for some nautical heritage. It wasn’t on the water, but there was the launching of a brand new færing. This has been a Whithorn ReBuild project with Gail McGarva and it is great to see it completed.
Working away in the camp
Galloway Longfhada Vikings set up a camp where sails were being woven, food preserved for provisions – and some acting too.
In a crossover with Quartz type activities, some filming was taking place for a BBC programme exploring the connections between Faith and Re-enactment. It will be interesting to see what the final programme looks like!
A very interesting length of rope that would have been tied round a stone to anchor ships in place.
and if you are interested in a boat to go with tou anchor – Whithorn Rebuild with Gail McGarva will be launching this one in a few weeks time. Get yourself along to Whithorn!
Well, the design of these armbands isn’t quite as old as antiquity, but they are an example of local heritage that is older than the names of some of the hills.
We will be making them with young people as part of the Whithorn Trust activities. This gives them a hands on encounter with history, craft skills, and something they can wear and be proud of.
We will also give the opportunity to play with pattern welding techniques using plasticine.
Cluaran members have been volunteering at Summerhill youthgroup. We are helping them learn to make things which will be useful for medieval costumes to us in the town celebrations of “Good Neighbours” day.
The next stage of the plan will be for them to pick tasks they are we best at, and try making things to sell. These can then be sold at a medieval market in the summer in Dumfries. Income raised from this will go towards subsidising a medieval harvest feast.
Who is the king though? There is a king of the UK now. Dumfries is celebrating 750 years since the birth of King Robert the Bruce. The kingdom of heaven is both here now and will come to be…
What qualities do you look for in a king? Which king would you craft for?
We love maps. But how about a map of the stars that is almost 2000 years old. This one was found underneath writing on a reused manuscript, but is now readable using some fancy technology.
This page has photos and a description of the discovery
When things are quiet online, that usually means that they have not been quiet in the workshop!
Easter takes up a lot of Wordsmith Crafts time. You can read about that on the Quartz website. Now is the time to prepare for a Summer of activities though!
The Whithorn Trust has supported the building of a Faering. This will be launched the day before a weekend of Viking Activity fri 24th to Sun 26th). Visit the Whithorn ReBuild pages to find out more.
“Making Space” on Thursday evenings is starting up again! This isn’t a craft club. Since it is 750 years since the Birth of Robert the Bruce we are going to move a few blocks over and make things with the Summerhill youth group. The project is called “Crafts for the King” more details to follow.
Did I mention that it is school visiting season? The requests for Viking visits have been flooding in this year.
Every visit is different, because every class approaches the topic in a different way. Hopefully we help them learn about the people who contributed to the Scotland we live in today.
Bannocks are baking and the boxes are packed! Must be the season for school visits.
Soon settlers will become seakings, and the viking era will be thoroughly explored. Stories from around the Irish sea region given will be given a fresh airing.
It all looks so tidy now! Will that survive contact with the classroom!
The cluaran project was initiated by Simon Lidwell as an art project. It’s aim was to build a boat, but it became more about building interest in heritage. So what is heritage? You might think of treasure, but one definition is simply anything you can inherit.
So, stories, craft skills, the experience of being on the water with a crew of time travellers – all of this is heritage.
As the year gets going we will soon be launching “Crafts for the King”
This activity will give people the opportunity to set up “Cottage Industries” which will use cheap and easy to access materials to make desirable products. These products can then be donated “To the King” and will be sold on a mediaeval stall at the Robert the Bruce 750 medieval market in Dumfries.
Proceeds from this will be re-invested into holding a harvest time Medieval feast for all those involved.
This activity makes available what we have learned about organising community feasts and making hands on heritage crafts.
It provides the opportunity to think about the nature of kingship – or authority in general (Which king are we talking about? What type of King would you choose? What is Kingship? )
If you would like to buy any of the sort of Jewellery featured in the pictures on this page, please visit Simon’s Etsy Shop
Craft club is teaming up with the museum service, Annan photo club, and local reenactors to bring characters from the past to life.
Try out things to wear at craft club on the 8th of feb
Tales at the tap on the 15th
Photoshoot on the 22nd!
*** Extra information about the photoshoot
Muster at the workshop by 6pm to share lifts, Or turn up at Kate’s Kitchen on Annan High street at 6.30 for a 7pm start. Tom Hughes from the museums is the organiser.
