Theresa Villiers praised the Barnet Medieval Festival as “a brilliant opportunity to learn about Barnet’s place in English history”

A cannon is fired during a reenactment of the Battle of Barnet at the Barnet Medieval Festival in June 2023 — A cannon is fired during a reenactment at the Barnet Medieval Festival on June 10th and 11th – (Credit – Office of Theresa Villiers MP)

A local MP has paid tribute to the work of local volunteers who put on a history festival at the weekend.

Theresa Villers, who attended this year’s Barnet Medieval Festival at Barnet Elizabethans Rugby Club in Byng Road on Saturday, described the festival as: “a great day out” and “a brilliant opportunity to learn about Barnet’s place in English history.”

The event, which was first held in 2018, this year featured reenactments of the 1471 Battle of Barnet and 1461’s Second Battle of St Albans alongside other new activities including a medieval fashion show

The Chipping Barnet MP added: “The battle re-enactments are really impressive with re-enactors coming from around the country to put on this display. A range of stands and displays also throws light on what life was like in the late medieval period when the Battle of Barnet took place. There is always impressive attention to detail in the displays and exhibitions.

“I want to thank all the re-enactors for putting on this great spectacle. I would also thank the event coordinator, Howard Giles. Above all I would like to thank Susan Sked, Ave Vinick and the whole of the festival committee whose huge efforts make this event happen each year.”

The MP said she is in discussions with Barnet Elizabethans Rugby Club and the festival committee to seek to ensure that changes planned to the ground do not prevent the festival from returning to the site next year.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.