Robin Hood returns to Kenilworth Castle

Tuesday 1 – Friday 4 June 2010 If Russell Crowe’s latest cinematic outing as Robin Hood has caught your eye, then the half term events at Kenilworth Castle & Elizabethan Garden will no doubt appeal, as Robin and the Sheriff of Nottingham drop in to find new recruits to their band of soldiers and outlaws as the Time Travellers go… Robin Hood!

Robin Hood will be played by local man, Kevin Hicks, who is no stranger to the role; as one of the country’s leading historic archers, Kevin regularly dons the hood to play the famous outlaw during Sherwood Forest’s annual festival, showcasing his skills with the longbow and regaling visitors with stories of adventure and escape!

“Throughout the country, children’s bow and arrow sets are the best-selling items in the English Heritage shops, so this week, children will have a chance to learn how to use them properly,” says visitor operations manager, Holly Woodward. “Rather than struggling to launch their arrows, our Robin will show them some of the tricks of the trade, including how to get the sucker-tipped arrows to stick to their targets!”

With the bow an essential part of both the armoury and English culture at the time of Robin Hood – it was the law that every boy from the age of five should learn how to shoot with a bow – Kevin will also demonstrate just how powerful and effective these weapons could be, using his full-size war bow to shoot arrows through a mail vest. He’ll also be bringing along a large sieve crossbow, which is a replica of those mounted on castle walls in medieval England. With the bolt pulled back using a windlass to achieve 700lb of thrust; this weapon was deadly accurate to a range of 300-400 yards – the sniper weapon of choice in castle warfare!

Whilst Robin shows visitors how to make their enemies keep their distance with long-range weaponry, the Sheriff will demonstrate some of the skills required for hand-to-hand combat. Expert swordsman, Mark Vance, plays the role of Sheriff, instructing visitors how to handle a long sword and quarterstaff, and try on some of the armour that the king’s men would have worn.

The event runs from Tuesday 1 to Friday 4 June, 11.00am to 5.00pm, with the castle itself open from 10.00am. Admission to the castle is £7.60 for adults, £6.50 for concession, £3.80 for children and £19.00 for a family ticket or free for English Heritage members. There is an additional £1 charge per child (member and non-member) for the Time Travellers activity.

For more details, please contact Kenilworth Castle direct on 01926 852078, or visit the website at www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenilworth

ENDS

For further media information, please contact: Jay Commins PRO – English Heritage Tel: 0113 251 5698 Mob: 07810 546567 Email: jay@fim.org.uk