MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by the Consultation & Communication Department
Town Hall, The Parade, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5BY
Email: rdsouza@epsom-ewell.gov.uk
Website: www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk
Reference: PRO9 100
Date: Thursday 11 March 2010
Bourne Hall’s action-packed Herald of Spring festival is a success
Over 4,000 visitors experienced life in medieval times at Bourne's Hall's popular Herald of Spring
festival which took place on the weekend of 6 and 7 March.
'Flower of Chivalry', themed around the Middle Ages, transformed Bourne Hall into a medieval
castle and village. Visitors followed paths between fortified turrets and a monastery cloister and
listened as villagers in period costume explained their crafts.
Offenders were clamped in stocks while knights fought for the honour of fair ladies to the cheers of
an excited crowd of adults and children. Young visitors tried their hand at calligraphy, brass rubbing
and knight school and even took part in a special heraldry competition.
Re-enactment group Paladins of Chivalry, well-known for their TV appearances, made the
medieval times come alive for everyone.
A range of activities from the medieval war games workshop, story telling, caricaturist and herbalist
to performances of live medieval dance and re-enactor battles gave everybody the chance to take
something home as a memento of an action-packed day.
Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chairman of the Leisure Committee, said: “The Herald of Spring is a
vibrant community event and it was wonderful to see so many people come through the doors to
experience it. A lot of work by Council staff and volunteers goes into creating the Herald of Spring,
and this year it had something to delight everyone, whatever their age.”
In addition to its medieval theme, the festival was supported by sessions from the Epsom Light
Opera, the Epsom Players and the Epsom & Ewell Silver Band. The beautiful floral displays
produced by volunteers for the medieval village and the Craft and Flower market were also popular
attractions.
Since it first began in the mid 1970s, having evolved from the Mayor’s Banquet floral display,
Bourne Hall’s Herald of Spring festival has developed each year. Previous events range from
garden themes to the Romans, Saxons, wartime and the 1950s.
Media contact:
Riquita D’Souza
Media & Communication Officer
(01372) 732080 / rdsouza@epsom-ewell.gov.uk
BOROUGH
FACTS
The Council is
made up of 38
seats:
23 Residents
Associations,
10 Liberal
Democrats;
4 Conservatives;
1 Labour
The population is
approximately
72,400. This is
the smallest
population of all
the Surrey
districts
Epsom & Ewell
has around
2,000 acres of
open space. It
covers an area of
8,500 acres
Epsom is famous
as a 1600s spa
town, for Epsom
Salts, an active
horseracing and
training industry
and as the home
of the annual
Epsom Derby
KEY
PRIORITIES
Cost effective
recycling
Enhancing
services for
young people
Promoting
sustainability and
tackling issues of
climate change
Enhancing the
visual
appearance of
the local
environment
Tackling antisocial behaviour
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OUR CORE VALUES: Focusing on our customers; Investing in employees;
Valuing diversity and equality; Improving continuously; Providing value for money;
Performing with integrity, openness and honesty.
Championing
health services
improvements