Seafaring swordfighters - summer at Scarborough Castle!

Saturday 23 July – Monday 29 August 2011

The sound of waves crashing on the shore in the North and South Bays will provide an atmospheric backdrop for this summer’s activities at Scarborough Castle, when a trio of scurvy pirates and a squall of Time Travellers arrive to entertain visitors!

With pirates well-known for squabbling, it will be little surprise to visitors when they see them trying to get one up on the other in regular swordfights each weekend, when the pirates face each other with cutlasses to demonstrate just how vicious these seafaring outlaws were. Visitors will also see the hard side of the female pirate, with a historic re-enactor playing the role of Anne Bonney, who dressed as a man to secure loyalty from her fellow crew, but relied on her femininity – by claiming that she was pregnant – to escape the gallows when she was captured.

The pirate fun continues throughout the week when the Time Travellers Go... Pirate Academy! Aimed at Scarborough Castle’s younger visitors, the Time Travellers will be housed in Scarborough Castle’s ‘Big Top’ tent to provide activities whatever weather the British summer throws at us! With a treasure chest of pirate-themed dressing up outfits, young Blackbeards will be taught some of the skills essential for any pirate, from cutlass drill to how to us a pike when attacking and boarding a ship.

“The success of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film shows that these swashbuckling anti-heroes have never been more popular – despite the fact that they lived to steal and kill innocent sailors,” comments English Heritage’s captain of events, Jon Hogan. “Visitors will also explore the difference between pirates, privateers and buccaneers, and learn how the lack of mobile communications could often turn a well-meaning privateer – that is, someone who attacks enemy ships to claim its cargo for king and country – could easily fall foul of the law as new treaties were negotiated without their knowledge back home.”

Brand new for the summer will be a fun pirate trail around Scarborough Castle. Children collect a trail sheet from the Time Travellers and then find all the pirate-themed tableaux scenes hidden around the site. When they have collected stamps from each of the locations, they can return to the Time Traveller tent to receive their Pirate Certificate to take home!

The trio of fighting pirates will be at Scarborough Castle every weekend throughout the summer holidays, with the Time Traveller activities taking place daily. Admission prices are £4.80 for adults, £4.30 for concessions and £2.90 for children, or £12.50 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children). English Heritage members get in free. There is an additional £1 charge for all children (members and non-members) to help fund the Time Traveller activities.

For more information, please contact Scarborough Castle on 01723 372451 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/scarboroughcastle

ENDS

For further media information, please contact:
Jay Commins, PRO English Heritage (Yorkshire)
Tel: 0113 251 5698
Email: jay@fim.org.uk