Information on Loughborough

The Search for Arthur at Donington le Heath Manor House

Posted on 12/08/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Community Services

12 August 2009

The Search for Arthur at Donington le Heath Manor House

The legend of the mysterious King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is to be explored at an action packed family event.

The Search for Arthur, which will include a "battle", have a go Roman army drill, an arming King Arthur display and a performance of the Quest of the White Hart, will be held at Donington le Heath Manor House on Sunday, August 16th from 11-4pm.

The legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table has endured through the centuries. With the publication of medieval poems telling the tales of Camelot in the 12 to 15th centuries, another great revival by the Victorian Romantics in the mid 19th century, through to the modern versions of the stories on the big and small screens; Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and all at the Court of Camelot have been at the front of British folklore for hundreds of years.

Keeper of Donington, Richard Knox, said "This fun family event will ask who Arthur was and why his mysterious story has captured the imaginations of so many people over the years?"

"We will arm our visitors with the options as to Arthur’s origins but we will let them make their own minds up as such a legendary character will always be different things to different people."

There are many theories as to whom and what Arthur might have been: A Roman general, a British chieftain, a Welsh king, a medieval knight, a composite of many different people, or a mere myth. A selection of different Arthurs will try to convince visitors that each of them is the real Arthur and the audience will decide which version of Arthur they identify with the most.

The event will also see a foot tourney of 13th century knights, as seen in the early Hollywood versions of the tales of Camelot, based on the medieval poems of Geoffrey of Monmouth and Sir Thomas Mallory, and a battle between late Roman soldiers and invading Anglo-Saxons from the Fifth and early Sixth centuries harking back to the period in which Arthur was thought to exist. Younger visitors will have a chance join in with late Roman army drill before the battle.

After lunch there will be a fun performance of the Quest of the White Hart, which intertwines the fate of the Court of Camelot with one of Arthur’s early quests.

The Search for Arthur runs form 11am-4pm and admission is free.

For further information please contact the Keeper of Donington le Heath Manor House, Richard Knox, on 0116 3058327. For more information on Donington events visit www.leics.gov.uk/museums/donington