Hiring the Paladins

How much does it cost to hire the Paladins of Chivalry?

We charge a very reasonable basic daily rate, which includes our tented encampment; costumed re-enactors/historical interpreters to interact with the public, and set-piece arena displays as required. Our rates are very competitive but reflect the value of our equipment and the experience and knowledge of our members, as well as the hard work we will put in to make your event a success.

We are very flexible and can accommodate most requirements.Please contact our Events Manager to discuss your individual requirements and to obtain a price for your event.

What are the benefits of hiring the Paladins of Chivalry for my event?

It is well-known in the heritage industry that costumed interpreters play an important role in bringing to life an historical event. Members of the public enjoy a unique opportunity to interact with knowledgeable interpreters and gain a fascinating insight into the medieval world. The Paladins of Chivalry are not actors reading from scripts; we have an immense wealth of knowledge and research about the medieval period and are able to impart this effectively and often entertainingly! For children in particular, the chance to try on a knight’s helmet or handle a sword (in a supervised manner!), or to try their hand at grinding corn to make bread, or spices for the pot, can bring history to life in a way that no textbook can.

The Paladins are highly-esteemed within the heritage industry and feature regularly at showcase events such as English Heritage’s ‘Festival of History’. We will bring our high standards of historical accuracy and performance to give a great visitor experience at your event. We are professional in our outlook, flexible in our approach and we pride ourselves on delivering client satisfaction and meeting the specific needs of each client, whether you require a small group of specific interpreters or a larger-scale display of medieval life.

What will I get for my money?

Our daily rate includes a full medieval tented encampment, with working kitchen and tents furnished with historically-accurate furniture and equipment. Many of the tents are decorated, and all are spectacular inside. Members of the public will be invited into the open tents to look round, handle equipment and interact with the occupants.

Displays of ‘living history’ will be going on throughout the day, and might include a group of cooks preparing a meal, musicians entertaining a party of nobles, an armourer repairing or polishing armour, noble ladies occupied in sewing and embroidery, an apothecary plying her trade and men-at-arms gambling and telling tall stories. Truly a unique insight into the medieval period!

In addition, we can offer several ‘set-piece’ displays, each lasting 20-25 minutes. Depending on your requirements and budget, these may include a selection from Medieval Dance; Dressing-A-Lady; Arming-A-Knight; Archery; A Mess of Manners (medieval banqueting display), and our Grand Tourney. We can also offer smaller-scale talks on costume, armour, herbalism, music and many other aspects of medieval life

What do the Paladins of Chivalry need in order to perform?

Our needs are quite simple! We require a flat grassed area of sufficient size for us to set up our tents, and vehicle access to this site. Our preference is to perform within the background of our encampment, so within this area we will need to include sufficient space for an arena , and this must be bordered with a double-roped barrier incorporating a ‘dead zone’ of 1m. We can supply the ropes and fencing for this! We need also access to toilets, drinking water and electricity, and we need seasoned wood or charcoal to fuel our kitchen.

What safeguards can you offer me?

The Paladins of Chivalry have Public Liability insurance to the value of £5 million, and we pride ourselves on our excellent safety record. All members taking part in combat displays are regularly assessed for competency and safety, and these assessments are recorded. We have full Risk Assessments for our encampment and for the displays and activities that take place within it, and copies of these Risk Assessments will be provided. We also have a comprehensive Child Protection policy.

The medieval world was a hazardous place but we minimise any risks as far as humanly possible: any potentially dangerous areas or activities (such as the kitchen fire) will be roped off to prevent public access, and our kitchen range conforms to English Heritage requirements to avoid damage to expensive lawns. We also have a fire point within our encampment.

If the weather is inclement, we will always do our best to provide the agreed displays, except where the conditions would render some activities unsafe, in which case we will work with you to provide an alternative display. Finally, in order to safeguard both parties, we ask that a contract is signed and a deposit provided in advance of the event.

How far in advance do I need to book the Paladins?

If you are interested in booking the Paladins of Chivalry, please contact us as far in advance of your event as possible, as our calendar is quickly filled! We are available for bookings all year round, although our encampment will not usually be available over the winter months (October – March); however, we can usually work within your venue if you would like to book us for a winter event. We are busiest in July and August.

Please note that members of the Paladins are volunteers and most are in full-time employment, so we can usually only perform at weekends. If you would like to book us for a weekday, however, please do contact us as we will do our best to help.

How do I contact you?

You can contact the Paladins Event Manager by telephone on 07815 444940 to discuss your event requirements, or use our simple contact form.