The drama of armour at the Fitzwilliam Museum

The event will highlight one of the country’s finest collections of arms and armour, made across Europe and Southern India from the 15th through 19th centuries for use in wars, parades, jousts and hunts. Treasures include an Italian ‘death head’ siege helmet, a German executioner’s sword, beautifully decorated yet lethal fighting axes and tiger claws from India, horse armour, and even a prosthetic metal arm.

The day-long Armoury Extravaganza will feature a knight on horseback equipped with replica Milanese 16th-century armour. Dominic Sewell (Historic Equitation Ltd) and his mighty black stallion Hawthorn will parade in front of the Fitzwilliam and reveal how armour was designed so that horse and rider could move with remarkable freedom despite the weight of the metal that protected them. Local blacksmith Magnus will be working at his portable forge to show visitors how an armourer in bygone times would have made key pieces of arms and armour. Handling sessions will allow visitors to feel replica swords and try on replica armour and be photographed as knights. Children will make their own weapons out of paper and paint and carry them in the parade behind Knight Dominic and Hawthorn.

Generations of children have marvelled at the Fitzwilliam Museum’s collection of arms and armour which boasts nearly 800 items, only some of which are familiar to visitors. The Extravaganza will allow visitors to see how the new displays in the Armoury are coming along ahead of the grand re-opening this summer: some weapons included in the new displays have not been on display for over a generation; others have never been seen by the public before.

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Image: Knight on horseback

Credit: Dominic Sewell, Historic Equitation Ltd


Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge
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