Viking Reenactment & Living History for Wirral, N. Wales, Liverpool & Chester.
Established in 1998 the Wirhalh Skip Felagr (The Wirral Ship Fellowship) is Merseyside's leading early medieval Living History group, and is part of the much larger national/international "dark age" reenactment society Regia Anglorum. The Skip Felagr focus primarily upon the Hiberno Norse Vikings who settled the Wirral from 902AD, but we are able to portray other cultures from the beginning of the Viking invasion in 793AD to beyond the Norman conquest in 1066AD.
Those years were a turbulent time in the British Isles as the land was divided into many kingdoms occupied by both native people and numerous invaders and settlers. Their different communities were rich and varied but each impacted on one another, with Anglo Scandinavian societies emerging all around the country. Through our popular public events the Skip Felagr recreate in extraordinary and entertaining detail all aspects of their lives - and deaths.
Our living history displays demonstrating early medieval social customs along with period crafts such as herb lore, bone carving or textile working offer an intimate and engaging insight into some of the often overlooked challenges of everyday life more than a thousand years ago. In contrast our violent combat displays dramatically portray the less commonplace but better known aspects of the conflicts between the Vikings and their Anglo Saxon neighbours.
As a research driven educational group our volunteers constantly strive to improve our portrayal of the past to both better engage all our audiences with their local heritage and to give an authentic view of the past that more accurately reflects the latest academic theories. Such study and experimental archaeology is a big part of the challenge and enjoyment of recreating the dark age society of Viking Wirral and North West England.
