The Venue


Now extended to a four day event celebrating  bronze swords and mastery of  bronze age smiths, with a series of casting experiments and hands on practical work, which allows you to explore sword making in the bronze while working on your own sword (Ewart Park). The stunning setting of the  round houses of Tre-wortha farm,  in a bronze age landscape of Bodmin moor, makes this a unique experience: bronze swords in a bronze age landscape and not a car in sight.

Up On The Tor


Sword Festival enters its 3rd year in 2007. Both 2005 and 2006 Sword festivals were roaring successes, with people coming from all around the world to share a common interest in bronze swords. The combination of the right sized group and the stunning landscape at Tre-wortha farm makes it a memorable experience. When sword festival was announced for September 2006 most of the places were taken in a few days, by people who attended 2005.

Pouring The Bronze

Details of 2007 Sword Festival

Friday 7th Arrive after 2.00 and set up tent and site, there will be an evening meal and a chance for the group to get to know one another and talk about bronze swords.

Edge Hardening

Saturday 8th Throughout the day there will be a series of casting experiments using charcoal furnace and clay moulds, this will be a group participation,  while the time in between you will be cleaning your own blade, a sandwich lunch will be provided. In the evening, feasting and fireside entertainment, brought to you by the Guild of Fabulists performing stories from ancient times.

The Guild of Fabulists are no Strangers to tall tales of mighty deeds, they are David Oliver, Clive Pig and Paul Whittall. Being dynamic and dramatic storytellers of the highest order, David and Clive Are known throughout the land for their verbal dexterity Elephantine memories and miscellaneous shenanigans.

Sunday 9th Morning promises a fascinating illustrated talk by David Tomalin (a past County Archaeologist for The Isle of Wight) covering his excavation of an extremely intriguing Bronze Age burial mound on The Isle of Wight . Apart from finishing the blade, and  hardening the edges, we will finish the day looking at  riveting  handles, this is quite involved and it will only be possible to demonstrate it, so you can fit the handle in your own time. An evening meal, which you will cover, will be at the Caradon Inn, good food and beer, then back to the round house for the evenings entertainment, with the welcome return of Dragonflymoon, creative blend of earth inspired music around the open fire in the round house. The performance will include Scott playing a bronze horn recently cast by myself.

Scott Jasper and Susan Garlick of Dragonflymoon perform their original music which is largely inspired by the beautiful native British landscape, its ancient myths & traditions and its natural cycles of energy.

Monday 10th First thing will be to catch up on anything we have missed. In 2005/6 the group decided they wanted to see some of the sites of Bodmin moor, stone circles and the like and if the weather is agreeable we will take the opportunity to do the same. Lunch will be sandwiches and evening meal will be a return to the very popular Caradon Inn. Entertainment this evening will be provided by singer/songwriter, instrumentalist, composer and overtone singer Ravi.

ABOUT RAVIRavi has played kora since 1985; developed a stereo/electric/aluminium kora; released over fifteen albums; singer/songwriter, instrumentalist, composer and overtone singer as well as workshop leader; live & recording projects include: Neuneneu (Humanity) with the Mehenaku Amazonian indians and Marlui Miranda, Kora Colours, The Afro-Indian Project, The Afro-Brazilian Project plus solo performances and a duet with Marlui Miranda.*Solo performance: RAVI plays and sings original and traditional songs from around the world (UK, Africa, Brazil etc) with Kora, Guitar, Berimbao, Djembe, flutes, singing bowls and overtone singing.

Tuesday 11th Clear the site by mid day and take down the tents and roundhouse closing ceremony.

The site is situated on high moorland and the weather can be difficult, warm and waterproof clothing is advisable but thankfully it has so far not been necessary. It is camping with access to showers and toilets. If this is not your your cup of tea, then B+B is recommended. The cost of meals except the Caradon Inn are included, ie cereals breakfast, sandwich lunch and two evening meals on site.

Nearest railway station is Liskeard, collection from the station can be arranged.

Booking

Bookings and deposits will be taken from April the 8th 2007

The cost of the workshop is £180 and you can reserve your place with a non-returnable £40 deposit with the balance being paid by August 1st 2007.

There are only ten places available, this event is strictly bookings only.

Those who have booked so far

Ryan J Canada 1
Aryn J Canada 2
Rhys T UK 3
Bruce R UK 4
Barrett H Canada 5
Carmel D UK 6
Stephen G UK 7
Dave S UK 8

Feedback from 2006 Sword Festival

Dear Neil,

I am writing this letter to thank you so very much for the wonderful experience I had at the Bronze Age Sword Festival 2006 you hosted, I enjoyed every moment of the weekend from the time I turned off the A30 on Friday to when I left site on Monday.

The Festival is a great event! Everything from the venue, the work on our swords, the food, the entertainment, the company and not least, your never ending enthusiasm for Bronze (especially in the shape of a sword) makes  it all very special and for such a price!

I look forward to next year’s event. I don’t intend to miss it.

Thanks yet again,

John Parker

We arrived at Trewortha late in the afternoon on the Friday. The site is fantastic, two miles from the nearest road or the neighbours. It consists of three recreated Bronze Age round houses set in an enclosure on the side of a hill. Stunning views greet you on all sides and peace and tranquillity are the order of the day.

Neil was his usual joyous self, with a constant stream of entertainments and distractions on tap all day. The first evening consisted of a very welcome hot meal and beers round the fire, a chance to get to know the other members of the group.
Saturday is the first planned day of the weekend. After an easy breakfast we walked across Kilmar Tor,  all the time being given a running commentary on the history of the surrounding countryside by our host, who obviously loves what he does. Then back to the round house for sword related shenanigans. Due to the constraints of time we only did one casting on Saturday, but it was an absolute thrill to be involved in such experimental archaeology, up to this point no one had come so close to the genuine article as far as bronze sword casting is concerned; charcoal fired furnace, mud and cow-poo moulds ­ excellent!

That evening ‘The Guild of Fabulists’ provided the entertainment (after another terrific meal) telling tales from across the land and across time, spellbinding and entertaining. With a full belly and a warm fire it was the perfect way to end a wonderful day.
We were blessed on Sunday with more fine weather, allowing us to sit in the sun and work on our swords, which by now had started to look quite splendid, after lunch we had a talk and slide show presentation from a local historian about Bronze Age Bodmin, man! this place was crowded! More sword work turned afternoon into evening and then to the pub! Huzzar! After eating far too much we wended our way back to the round house to be enchanted by ‘Dragonfly Moon’, more flutes drums and didgeridoos than you can shake a dirty stick at. They were a really friendly couple who created truly beautiful and spiritual music that changed the whole atmosphere of the round house. We will not forget that night.

Leaving the following morning was tinged with sadness as we dreaded leaving such a relaxing haven, to return to the hustle and bustle of our lives. Roll on next year!

Rob and Lorli.