Reenactment groups for education

An immersive educational experience of history

Engaging the hearts and minds of children can be difficult, especially when it comes to history. What’s needed is an immersive educational experience of history and that’s what Oakapple’s reenactments are all about. Enquire now, we tour nationwide.

It’s about capturing the imagination …

You want your students to learn about history and to appreciate what life was like back then. But you’re conscious that traditional methods of learning don’t always deliver that. There’s a lot to be said for experience. Do your students know what it’s like to write with a quill? Or make their own paper? Or forage for herbs to create medicine? Getting a taste of life as a contemporary calligrapher or paper maker or herbalist – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg – can help make the experience that much more real. And Oakapple can provide that experience.

Entertainment

A completely immersive experience

Wherever you’re based in the UK, Oakapple can set up an encampment and provide that unique reenactment experience. Each of our tents showcases a contemporary craft or skill for a truly hands-on taste of contemporary life, some spearheaded by experts educated to degree or Master’s level. We even have some former British Museum curators on our staff. If you opt for a 17th-century reenactment, you can expect an informative and entertaining take, covering everything from the build-up of the Civil Wars to its effects on the civilian population. Our tents cover a range of vocations, including surgery (featuring live leeches!), calligraphy (make your own ink!) on authentic handmade paper.

And that’s not all …

Whilst we cover the 17th-century we can also offer alternative timelines. How about the Romans? The Saxons? The Tudors? Perhaps the Napoleonic or Edwardian era? We can tailor the reenactment accordingly. Our rates are competitive too and if you’d like to collaborate with other schools and deliver a shared experience, we’re happy to oblige. It often helps with school budgets at the same time. The key members are enhanced DBS-checked and the remaining of our staff in the majority are DBS certificated and we have got full insurance cover in place too. We endeavor to ensure that all health and safety protocols are in place, including risk and method assessments. Get in touch and let us know what you’d like to do and we can work with you to ensure your event is fully compliant.

Why our reenactment service?

Authentic contemporary crafts and skills
Informative content through visual storytelling
Multiple era options (English Civil War, Romans, Tudors etc)
Qualified and DBS-checked educators
Full insurance coverage in place
Health and safety protocols in place

Educational Services Overview

Learn about how paper was made back in the day and actually have a go at paper making yourself. You can then try out your paper on our printing press or try your hand at calligraphy!

Matting was the go-to flooring option back in the 17th-century and the making of that matting was known as rush weaving. Our workshops are designed to not only educate about the history of rush weaving but also the experience of weaving rushes yourself. You can even try making a hat or belt!

With our mobile forge, you can try your hand at the noble art of blacksmithing. The ability to shape metal was an essential vocation of the time and here you’ll be able to heat, hammer and shape your own piece.

Writing isn’t quite the same as calligraphy. There was an aesthetic quality to calligraphy and calligraphers were widely considered as artisans. Our workshop tells the story of calligraphy and gives you the opportunity to make your own ink and put quill to paper that you have made.

Learn about the art of butter making and churning – 17th-century style. Other cooking preparation involves the use of fires but if that’s not permitted, we’ll bring biscuits and cakes onto your site instead for students and guests to decorate.

Net making was a common skillset in the 17th-century, particularly in the crafting of fishing nets. Our workshops will cover the history of net making and the opportunity to use traditional materials and techniques in order to create your own. We also explore various knots and weaving patterns.

Tying a good knot was an essential contemporary skill, especially when it came to maritime applications. Our workshop introduces a variety of knots, what the knots used for and how to tie them. Taught by scout leaders and survival experts these workshops will allow you to cross over these skills into the scouting and guiding world.

Living off the land and the creation of medicines relied on gathering up natural ingredients. This was known as ‘foraging’ and our workshop details what was involved in that process. We’ll teach you how to forage and you’ll be able to practice your newfound skills too.

Herbalists were at the heart of contemporary medicine and we have our very own herbalist to tell you all about it. We’ll cover the common medicines of the era, what medical knowledge looked like at the time and the hierarchy of those who practiced it.