Jousting at England's Medieval Festival (HD) Herstmonceux Castle, Sussex

Spectacular Medieval Jousting tournament re-enacted at Herstmonceux Castle, as part of England’s Medieval Festival, performed by Destrier.

A colourful, action-packed spectacle of courage, strength and skill performed by the Knights of Destrier in the Royal Arena, in the grounds of the historic and picturesque Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex. This film shows highlights from the authentic jousting tournament.

Transport yourself back in time to the most favourite form of Medieval entertainment, an exciting and colourful pageant where you can watch mounted knights charging towards each other on their destriers, at up to 40 miles per hour, using lances to defeat and hopefully dismount their opponents. Medieval jousting tournaments were the training grounds for Knights of the Middle ages but were also great entertainment for the local people. A thrilling and enjoyable show suitable for all the family.

The Knights of Destrier are one of the pioneers of modern jousting re-enactments, staging displays since 2000, in the UK and across Europe, the USA and Canada. Amongst others they have worked in collaboration with English Heritage.

England’s Medieval Festival is the largest event of it’s kind in England and is held annually in the grounds of Herstmonceux Castle, in East Sussex, over a weekend in August. The event has grown in popularity and has been running now for over 20 years.

The Festival offers a mix of entertainment to suit everyone, full-scale battle re-enactments, combat displays, jousting, archery, falconry displays, children’s entertainers, musicians and living history encampments. The Festival takes place in the castle grounds and visitors are also free to roam around the exterior of the castle and gardens, including Elizabethan and Shakespearean. The festival has excellent facilities including numerous food and drink stalls. There are also many medieval craft stalls and tents to visit and browse.

Herstmonceux is a grand Tudor castle, surrounded by a moat on three sides, situated in the beautiful Sussex countryside. Built in 1441, by Sir Roger Fiennes, Treaurer of the Household of Henry VI, it is one of the oldest remaining, significant brick buildings in England. His brother had fought for Henry V at theBattle of Agincourt.

Later notable visitors to the castle included Anne of Cleaves, in 1540, one of the many wives of Henry VIII. The castle subsequently fell into disrepair until in 1911 it was acquired by Lt Colonel Claude Lowther in 1911, a conservative MP, who started the reconstruction work. Lowther created a number of volunteer Royal Sussex Regiments, who went to fight in France and Belgium during the first world war. The Royal Greenwich Observatory bought the castle in 1946 and it served as a scientific institution for over 40 years.

Although there is evidence of occupation during Roman times Herstmonceux was first mentioned in the Domesday book, following the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. The name is derived from the marriage between a Norman nobleman and a Saxon lady.


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Musical credits – with many thanks to:

Epic Chase Music – Run, courtesy of Ross Bugden (copyright and royalty free).
Ross’ you tube channel can be found here:    / @rossbugden  
INSTAGRAM! :   / rossbugden  
TWITTER! :   / rossbugden  

Fight Scene and Pentagram courtesy of Audionautix (via You Tube music).
Figth Scene by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://audionautix.com
Pentagram by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/
Additional credits:

Thank you to Harry for the additional footage.

Thank you to Tom for the opening credits.