Clash of knights at Kenilworth Castle

By IH 10/04 Updated: 10/04 12:13

Buy photos » Harry Broadhead is suprised by the weight of this helmet. Picture by Jon Mullis 15.012.009.leam.jm4 (www.buyphotos247.com)

KENILWORTH Castle was not a place for cute chicks and cuddly bunnies over the Easter weekend.

The castle was taken over by sword-wielding knights and their swarthy squires for two days of medieval combat at the Clash of Knights.

Visitors were able though to see some of the weapons up close in a rather less threatening environment when they meet the knights and handled swords and armour in the living history encampment.

English Heritage’s spokeswoman Karen Pike said: “When you are fighting with real metal swords, you need to wear the right kind of protective gear, and for a medieval knight, this usually means around 30 kilos of metal, including a mail vest, armour plating and a helmet – that is like carrying around an average ten-year-old boy on your shoulders at a time when you are fighting for your life.

"Knights would have had to be at peak fitness when they went into battle, or they would be exhausted from the journey to the battlefield, before a single blow had been made."

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Buy photos» Sword play in the rain, but their was a good turnout despite the typical bank holiday showers. Picture by Jon Mullis 15.012.009.leam.jm13 (www.buyphotos247.com)

Buy photos» More rabbit than sainsburys- Nicky Upperton with her rabbit skin blanket. Picture by Jon Mullis 15.012.009.leam.jm3 (www.buyphotos247.com)