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More Things To SEE in York and beyond as dazzling Christmas delights galore open. Hutch’s List No 48, from The Press

Alice becomes Queen Alice in the climax to Alice’s Christmas Wonderland at Castle Howard. Picture: Charlotte Graham

CHRISTMAS Day is still more than a month away but the season of festive exhibitions, installations and trails is up and running, as Charles Hutchinson reports.

30,000 baubles and counting: Alice’s Christmas Wonderland, Castle Howard, near Malton, until January 5 2025

FALL down the rabbit hall into “an experience like no other”: Lewis Carroll’s Alice in her Christmas Wonderland at Castle Howard, where the CLW Event Design creative team, headed by Charlotte Lloyd Webber and Adrian Lillie, has worked on the spectacular project since January.

After a two-week installation, the stately home has been transformed into an immersive Christmas experience, dressed in set pieces, decorations and floristry, coupled with projections, lighting and sound by Leeds theatre company imitating the dog. Box office: castlehoward.co.uk.    

The Nunnington Hall staircase decorated for Christmas. Picture: Rebecca Hughes

Christmas Through The Ages:  Nunnington Hall, Nunnington, near York, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, November 22 to December 15, 10.30am to 4pm, last admission at 3.15pm

OGLE at a Tudor feast fit for a King, step into the opulence of the Georgian era, savour  the splendour of the Victorian golden age or relive the exuberant parties of the 1980s. Envision Christmas as it might have been celebrated by the families who once called Nunnington Hall their home.

On Sundays, Ryedale choirs will sing Christmas carols in the Oak Hall. Normal admission applies, with free entry for National Trust members and under-fives. To book tickets, go to: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/nunnington-hall/christmas-at-nunnington-hall.

York artist MarcoLooks working on one of his Nutcrackers for the Christmas Around The World Nutcracker Trail

Christmas Around The World Nutcracker Trail with York artist MarcoLooks, York city centre, until January 1 2025

PRESENTED by York BID, this season’s Nutcracker Trail takes a festive journey with a global twist, created in collaboration with MarcoLooks, alias York illustrator, printmaker and erstwhile CBeebies animator Marc Godfrey-Murphy.

Christmas Around the World brings ten beautifully designed Nutcracker sculptures to life, each representing a different country with colours from the national flag and landmarks that reflect York’s diverse, vibrant communities.

To start this festive adventure, pick up a map at the Visit York Visitor Information Centre on Parliament Street. Use clues on each Nutcracker to match it to the correct country, recording answers on the map. Completed entries can be submitted at the Visitor Information Centre or Santa’s Post Box in Museum Gardens for a chance to win a £250 York Gift Card.

Green Father Christmas and Ebenezer Scrooge: Tales to tell on the Kirkgate street at York Castle Museum. Picture: Duncan Lomax, Ravage Productions

Father Christmas goes back to green: Christmas At York Castle Museum, Eye of York, York, until January 5 2025

THE cobbles of York Castle Museum’s Victorian street, Kirkgate, are covered in snow to herald the festive season featuring a traditional Green Father Christmas; Ebenezer Scrooge’s account of A Christmas Carol; Victorian carol singers; roving musical miscreants The Ran Tanners; Storycraft Theatre’s Christmas stories; Tales From The Trail’s fun stories and family drop-in Christmas decorations. Lino-printing Christmas card, Christmas wreath making and lino-printing Christmas wrapping paper workshops for adults carry an extra charge. Full details, including dates of events, can be found at yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk.

In addition to these immersive experiences, Kirkgate’s shops are wreathed in festive greenery, displaying seasonal objects from the museum’s collection.

Part of the display in Princess Victoria’s Room, inspired by recently unearthed love letters penned by a valet at Treasurer’s House

Green Christmas celebrations: An Inspired Christmas, Treasurer’s House, Minster Yard, York, open Saturday to Wednesday, until December 18

AN Inspired Christmas shares stories of Mr Frank Green, the last private owner of Treasurer’s House, and the people around him. As Christmas returns to the National Trust property, staff and volunteers have given rooms merry makeovers, with many of the decorations handcrafted by volunteers.

Look out for artist Megan Barnett’s bespoke glass ornaments in the Blue Drawing Room, inspired by ecclesiastical architect Temple Lushington Moore; an unusual tree in the Court Room, inspired by the changing fortunes of house maid Ivy Cliff, and  a display in Princess Victoria’s Room, inspired by recently unearthed love letters penned by a valet. To plan a visit, go to: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/treasurers-house-york.

Daylight robbery: The Highwayman mouse in the Fairfax House exhibition with a detective challenge, A Christmas Mousetery

It’s Christmouse time: A Christmas Mousetery, The Case Of The Missing Ruby, Fairfax House, York, until January 5 2025

THE Fairfax Townmice are back and this time a crime must be solved in a festive family caper. These are the Fairfax facts: On Christmas morning, the family has awoken to discover the famous Fairfax Ruby has been stolen by the dastardly Highway Mouse, but he did not act alone.

Visitors must play detective to recover this precious jewel and work out who the accomplice was. Throughout the Georgian house they will meet myriad mousey suspects, whose dubious alibis will need forensic examination to nail the inside mouse. En route, they will encounter 400 whiskered guests, causing Christmas chaos as they swing from ceilings, burst out of drawers, even smoke a long pipe. Pre-booking is advised but walk-ins are welcome. Tickets: fairfaxhouse.co.uk/whats-on/a-christmas-mousetery; free admission for age 16 and under.

Wrapping up for the York chill: A Winter Wonderland at Jorvik Viking Centre. Picture: Charlotte Graham

First snowfall in 40 years for Viking-age Coppergate: A Winter Adventure, Jorvik Viking Centre, York, until February 22 2025

WINTER has set in at Jorvik Viking Centre for a new experience that explores what conditions 10th century York might have faced during the cold, dark months. Since opening in 1984, Jorvik has presented Coppergate as a moment frozen in time in the spring, but an archaeological find – ice skates made of bone – has inspired the deep mid-winter make-over with residents now  wrapped up in hats, woollens and furs.

The Time Sleigh ride takes visitors on a trip to a winter morning in York in AD 96 and a Viking Skald tells winter-themed tales of gods and monsters and discusses the kit needed to counter elements. Pre-booking is essential as no tickets are available on the door.  Timeslots can be booked at jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk. 

A cornucopia of animals and birds by York printmaker Gerard Hobson

Nature’s gifts: Gerard Hobson Christmas Exhibition, 51 Water Lane, York, YO30 6PW, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm; Sunday, 2pm to 5pm

YORK printmaker Gerard Hobson has been busy in his garden studio preparing for his annual Open House Christmas Show.  “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” says the York Open Studios regular participant. “Can’t wait to see you there!”

Gerard, who specialises in animals, birds and latterly toadstools, will be exhibiting limited-edition hand-painted lino prints, cut-outs and one-off collages, all for sale along with festive cards.

Lincoln Lightfoot’s poster for An Appetite For Destruction at 32 Stonegate, York

In Focus: An Appetite For Destruction, A Lincoln Lightfoot Exhibition, 32 Stonegate, York, running scared until December 1

IF you have spotted stirrings of life in the dormant former Cath Kidston store in Stonegate, be afraid. Something terrifying this way comes: the latest pop-up show of B-movie paranoia re-writ large in York by retro-futurist artist Lincoln Lightfoot in his depiction of ridiculous and surreal encounters with beasts, aliens and UFOs in landmark locations.

 “An Appetite For Destruction is a deep dive into my art practice with new and old pieces brought to life on a scale never seen before,” he forewarns before adding cryptically: “Warning: Sensationalism may be used to promote a hidden agenda.”

Age Of Dinosaurs, by Lincoln Lightfoot

How did this space invasion emerge? “This incredible opportunity was presented to me a couple of weeks ago,” says Lincoln. “I’m part of an amazing shop located on Coney Street called Fabrication that supports local artists and makers in selling their creations.

“They’ll be moving to the former Cath Kidston shop and the former home of the parents of Guy Fawkes 1570! However, the move won’t take place till January 2025 as it’s such a busy time of year with the run-up to Christmas.

Monkgate Monster, spray paint, by Lincoln Lightfoot

“I’m the first to take up the gauntlet in what will be a variety of different events taking place in the former store. Upon first inspection from the outside, you don’t realise how large the shops footprint actually is.”  

How will you use the space and your time there, Lincoln? “An Appetite For Destruction will exhibit everything I have in my studio and artwork that’s been on loan. I’ll be adorning the space with all the artwork I can lay my hands on” he says.

Birds Of Pray, Rowntree and Terry, by Lincoln Lightfoot

“I’ll be filling the ground floor with large oil paintings, big street art-style paste-ups, illustrations, brand-new limited-edition prints and skateboard deck art. I’ll be debuting the completed illustration series of The Four Gates, depicting the four main gatehouses, or ‘Bars’ of York.”

Look out too for projected video footage from Lincoln’s collaboration with Mike from SkyShift. “He’s merged his incredible drone footage into a brand-new illustration of mine,” says Lincoln. Birds Of Pray, Rowntree and Terry, by L:incoln Lightfoot

Don’t Look Up, SkyShift piece, by Lincoln Lightfoot

“There’ll be limited-edition prints from this available with 20 per cent of the proceeds going toward the Menfulness charity, while a free limited-edition print will be available for the first 20 guests of the exclusive preview event on November 21 from 6pm to 8pm. Tickets are free on an Eventbrite.”

Throughout the exhibition, Lincoln will be doing several live paintings to give visitors a glimpse into his painting process. “The collection of work should increase and change throughout the event from the preview night to the end of play on December 1,” he says.

Lincoln Lightfoot, second from right, on the preview night for An Appetite For Destruction at 32, Stonegate, York
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Ride on time is a hit again as capsules do the locomotion after speedy engineering work on the Jorvik Viking Centre line

TIME travelling is back on track at Jorvik Viking Centre after a fortnight’s hiatus.

Flux capacitor repaired. Tick. Temporal circuits aligned? Tick. Result? The blue time capsules are operating once more, repaired faster than expected, ready to take visitors around the streets of 10th century York.

An issue with the ride was identified two weeks ago, but technicians have received the green light to resume operations of the blue capsules from international ride experts Westlakes Engineering.

Head of operations Gareth Henry says: “Fixing our bespoke time machine can be quite a challenge, as parts are not readily available, but we’re delighted that we are able to return to operation much more quickly than we had anticipated.

“We’re incredibly grateful to all the visitors who have been so positive about the walking tours we have offered whilst the ride was off-line.”

Jorvik Viking Centre is welcoming walk-up visitors anew, although the ride will be running at slightly lower capacity while the technical team monitors its performance, so prebooking is still strongly recommended. 

Prebooking is additionally open to Tesco voucher holders, those with Max cards, York Pass and returning visitors with annual tickets. For bookings, go to jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk.

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Who was the Coppergate Woman? Kate Hampson prepares to put flesh on Viking bones in Theatre Royal community play

Shrouded in mystery: Shrouded in mystery: Kate Hampson prepares to tell the Coppergate Woman’s story at York Theatre Royal

REHEARSING the lead role in York Theatre Royal’s summer community production can be lonely for Kate Hampson.

“On a morning rehearsal, it’s usually just been me and the directors,” says Kate, the only professional in Juliet Forster and John R Wilkinson’s cast of 90 for Maureen Lennon’s epic storytelling drama The Coppergate Woman.

This is partly because the York actor and yoga enthusiast had to play catch-up. “I’ve stepped into rehearsals when you don’t want to feel like you’re on the back foot, but Juliet and John have done a great job in integrating me after the community cast started a while before me and had already formed various scenes. My task has been to think, ‘how do I enhance those scenes?’.”

Fostering a love of theatre from the age of eight and trained in theatre, film and television at York St John University and clowning at the Utrecht School of Arts, Kate has performed for Northern Broadsides, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Oldham Coliseum and Hull Truck Theatre, playing Mother and Mrs Perks in The Railway Children last winter, but The Coppergate Woman will mark two firsts.

Kate Hampson in rehearsal for The Coppergate Woman

“I’m working with a community cast for the first time,” she says. “There’s a little bit of pressure there; it’s a challenge, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say there was a feeling of it being daunting, but everyone has been really supportive and it’s been exhilarating to work with so many people. I think it’s perfect that a play all about the community has been cast from the community.”

Despite living in York for 27 years, Huddersfield-born Kate has never performed on the Theatre Royal’s main-house stage. “I did some work on a New Playwrights project, doing play readings with Damian [former artistic director Damian Cruden], but that was in the Studio, so Saturday will be my first time,” she says.

She will be keeping it in the family, however, as her husband, fellow professional actor Julian Kay [from the  Kay family of York lawyers] has graced that stage, performing in pantomimes.

Kate took a ten-year break from the stage to focus on bringing up their two children (son Arthur, 14, who has taken his first steps as an actor in Doctor Who and Brassic, and daughter Elsie, 12).

York Theatre Royal creative director Juliet Forster, left, and The Coppergate Woman playright Maureen Lennon with Jorvik Viking Centre’s model of the Coppergate Woman

“I admire actors who do continue to work in theatre when they have a young family, but with both Julian and I doing theatre professionally, it just felt that wasn’t possible,” she says.

“In those ten years off stage, I did some TV and commercials, and if you’re lucky enough the corporate world will sustain you. I love theatre but with young children, they’re the priority.”

The Railway Children at Hull Truck was a joyous return. “It’s lovely to be back in theatre, playing to live audiences, working with people in the business again,” says Kate.

From Saturday, she will be experiencing that excitement again, playing the title role in The Coppergate Woman, Maureen Lennon’s story that puts the flesh on the bones of a woman whose remains were found near the River Foss and are now exhibited under glass at the Jorvik Viking Centre.

“That’s another pressure. To do her justice, this woman who had family, friends, a job, and you want to recognise that sensitively,” says Kate Hampson of playing the Coppergate Woman

“What we know from history is that she was either Norwegian or northern Scottish and you can tell from her teeth that she’d eaten a lot of herring,” says Kate.

“So, you make choices from that. Is she Scandinavian, is she northern? We’re identifying her as Yorkshire; we know she came to York in her teens. It’s curious to think about what her accent would have sounded like, and I guess we can’t really know, so you just have to decide.”

Kate was familiar with the Coppergate Woman from the many visits she undertook to Jorvik with her children. “I felt like we were almost on speaking terms as we went there so frequently. At one point, the children kept wanting to go every weekend!” she recalls.

In Lennon’s play, the Coppergate Woman vacates her Jorvik resting place to venture into “crisis-hit modern-day York”. “Maureen weaves post-Covid stories into the play, when there’s still a hangover from such challenging times,” says Kate. “She also weaves in more Norse myths and legends and stories of everyday York folk today.

“My task has been to think, ‘how do I enhance those scenes?”, says Kate Hampson, after joining rehearsals for The Coppergate Woman with the community cast’s preparations already well under way

“Ultimately, it’s all about storytelling, connecting  and communicating, and how we collaborate with each other. It’s a play about hope and how we need to come together for our future.”

At the core of that play is the Coppergate Woman, as portrayed by Kate. “It’s a privilege to be playing a real person – wondering what she looked like, what she thought and what her origins were. You want to honour her, as you would with any real person you play,” she says.

“That’s another pressure. To do her justice, this woman who had family, friends, a job, and you want to recognise that sensitively – and Maureen has done that in her writing.

“I listened to a podcast about the Coppergate Woman, where they looked at historical artefacts, and then historians created her life from that, but not just one life, but various options. Maureen listed to that podcast too and chose the play’s path from that.”

Kate Hampson looks forward to performing on York Theatre Royal’s main-house stage for the first time

Summing up The Coppergate Woman, Kate says: “For me it’s about Norse legends and myths, and though Norse gods are usually imposing figures, the Coppergate Woman is a real woman who existed, and it’s important to see her as a human that the audience can connect with.

“We know very little about her, but we’re trying to get the essence of her, and that’s why you have to ground her in a real person.”

Championing York Theatre Royal’s passion for staging community theatre productions, Kate concludes: “It’s become a tradition here, and one the management wants to continue as the Theatre Royal were leading lights in establishing such shows. It’s a real testament to the theatre’s commitment that so soon after the Covid lockdowns, they’re mounting a play on such a scale.

“It’s remarkable how so many people want to give so much time to make a drama together, telling stories of York.”

The Coppergate Woman, York Theatre Royal, July 30 to August 7 (no shows on July 31 and August 1). Performances: 7.30pm, July 30, August 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6; 2.30pm, August 6 and 7. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Copyright of The Press, York

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JORVIK’S Coppergate Woman to come to life in York Theatre Royal’s community play. Actors and backstage team needed

York Theatre Royal co-directors Juliet Forster, second from right, and John R Wilkinson and playwright Maureen Lennon with JORVIK staff members at the recruitment launch for The Coppergate Woman community play

HAVE you ever wondered who was “The Coppergate Woman”, whose remains are displayed in a glass case in the JORVIK Viking Centre in York after being discovered in a shallow pit by the River Foss.

One of only two full skeletons on show from the archaeological dig, she features in model form in the Coppergate visitor attraction, her identity unknown, but now she is to be “brought back to life in modern-day York” in this summer’s York Theatre Royal community project.

Directed by creative director Juliet Forster and associate artist John R Wilkinson, the storytelling show is being written by Hull playwright Maureen Lennon, fleshing out the very barest of bones for four interlinking stories to be performed by a community ensemble of between 80 and 100 from July 30 to August 6 on the main stage.

This week, working in partnership with JORVIK, the Theatre Royal issued a call-out for people to participate in the production, both backstage and on stage, where the company will be led by a yet-to-be-confirmed professional actor in the title role. 

Performers, musicians and those keen to work in stage management, wardrobe, lighting, props, marketing, fundraising and front-of-house are asked to visit yorktheatreroyal.co.uk for details of how to sign up for roles on and off stage.

Explaining how  she came to write the play, Maureen says: “Juliet approached me to say they were thinking of doing a community show that engaged with York’s Viking history and how stories of our ancestors might bridge the gap between their world and our world. How might they have an impact on how we live now, and what could we learn from each other?”

Playwright Maureen Lennon with JORVIK Viking Centre’s model of The Coppergate Woman

Juliet recalls: “The idea came from thinking about the importance of storytelling in our world and how do we draw people together. The Vikings were storytellers and I started thinking about the Vikings because it’s an area we as a theatre had not explored before and is a very interesting part of our history.

“I’d seen Maureen’s early play Bare Skin On Briny Waters at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe and invited her company, Bellow Theatre, to bring it to the Theatre Royal Studio in 2018. She felt the right fit for the play we wanted to do this summer, but we’d never met in person until Monday this week!”

Maureen was delighted to receive the Theatre Royal commission. “Growing up in Hull, I used to really love going to JORVIK as a child, when although it was a museum, it felt like going to a theme park,” she says. “I hadn’t been back for years, but then revisited it to research for the play and I got really interested in the Coppergate Woman.”

Being confronted by her skeleton was a real example of two worlds meeting, says Maureen. “That’s the privilege of storytelling: we get to imagine her story, thinking about who she might have been and what she might say of our world.

“She’s in our world now, whether she likes it or not. I wondered if she was lonely. I wondered who she had been and what she would think about me staring at her now. It felt intimate and yet so much about her was unknown. 

York Theatre Royal creative director Juliet Forster with JORVIK’s skeleton of The Coppergate Woman

“I wanted to give her the power to look at us just like I was looking at her in that moment. I wanted her to speak – although obviously in reality I’m glad she didn’t.”

This summer’s play was always envisaged as a project that talked about community, togetherness, and the power of storytelling in our societies, in light of the pandemic, says Maureen.

“That was the jumping-off point for The Coppergate Woman, which weaves myth with contemporary stories. The Vikings had an end-of-the-world story in their mythology, Ragnarok, and in our tale the Coppergate Woman is awakened to try to help four people of York live through their own version of Ragnarok. It’s about hope and heartache and loss – and starting again, together.”

Co-director John R Wilkinson says: “It’s been five years since we last did one of our community plays, but given all that’s gone on in the past couple of years, it’s really necessary and heartening to be able to bring people together again, this time through a storytelling piece.

“I would argue that storytelling has become a slightly underappreciated artform, so it’s interesting to be able to explore it in a community play.”

“Theatre should be about accentuating its strengths: that live interconnection between performers and the audience through direct storytelling,” says The Coppergate Woman co-director John R Wilkinson

Maureen says: “Storytelling has a flexibility to it that’s perfect for this show, because it’s not a show about one person but about the people of York, who take part in the story as a chorus of ‘Norns’, storytellers who operate in a similar way to the Fates in Greek mythology.”

Juliet rejoins: “That makes it distinctly different from any community production we’ve done in the past. We’ve gone back to the bare bones to conjure a world just with words. That act of coming together collectively to tell a story is something we’ve been really lacking.”

John concurs: “There seems to be a trend for trying to compete with streamed shows, but theatre should be about accentuating its strengths: that live interconnection between performers and the audience through direct storytelling.”

The last word goes to Maureen, who says: “The Coppergate Woman is a chance to tell a different story about the Viking community when we tend to associate them with invasion, violence and horns.”

The Vikings built bridges in the city, just as her community play builds bridges between York’s past and present through storytelling.

Tickets for The Coppergate Woman will go on sale next month with more details to follow.

Copyright of The Press, York

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That Jorvik Viking Thing online festival will peak with day of live-streaming on Saturday

Late addition: Lindy-Fay Hella will discuss scents, plant essences, myths and storytelling in a live-stream tomorrow. Picture: Raina Vlaskovska and May Husb

THE finale to York’s six-day online festival, That Jorvik Viking Thing, will be an ambitious afternoon and evening of live-streaming on Saturday.

Ancient meets ultramodern in the challenging task faced by the team behind this week’s event, who will play host to a “truly international and extraordinary Norse-themed broadcast from 12 noon”.

Billed as the world’s largest-ever online Viking festival, That Jorvik Viking Thing has been organised by the Jorvik Viking Centre as an alternative to the Coppergate visitor attraction’s usual February half-term activities. 

Introduced by York Mix Radio presenter Ben Fry and three members of Jorvik Viking Centre’s interpretation and collections teams, Lucas Norton, Rachel Cutler and Becky Sampson, the day will mix live presentations and Q&A sessions from Jorvik, with links to other Viking attractions around the world, including Dublinia in Dublin and Lofoten Viking Museum in Norway. 

York’s Viking village at Murton Park will feature in the day too, contributing a live wood-working project that will be revisited throughout the broadcast, alongside some pre-recorded films being worked into the show. 

Event manager Gareth Henry says: “We were fortunate to be able to film a host of videos for the Thing while lockdown restrictions were lifted in the autumn, including our fun film, Arnor’s Adventure, and our daily chapters of the Saga Of Revr The Sly, which have been released each day during the Thing since Monday.

“We had hoped to be able to broadcast this day live from a fully populated Viking village; sadly the Norns* were against us, but we are pleased that we can still manage some socially-distanced filming from the village.”  

Einar Selvik: Norse musician will take part in the closing event of That Jorvik Viking Thing on Saturday

The live-streamed day will be the penultimate event in That Jorvik Viking Thing’s programme that will conclude at 7.30pm with international Nordic folk musician Einar Selvik deep in conversation with music journalist Alexander Milas.

Selvik composed the music for the History Channel’s Vikings series and the Assassins Creed: Valhalla game soundtrack, and his latest album with his band Wardruna, Kvitravn, topped the iTunes chart on release in January.

On Saturday, Selvik will discuss Norse music, demonstrate assorted instruments and perform acoustic versions of a selection of his songs. Tickets cost £15 at jorvikthing.com.

In a last-minute addition to the Thing’s programme tomorrow (19/2/2021), Selvik’s Wardruna bandmate, Lindy-Fay Hella, will be joined by Christina Oakley Harrington, founder of London bookshop Treadwells, and herbalist Johanna Elf to discuss scents, plant essences, myths and storytelling in a free live-stream at 8pm, accessible through jorvikthing.com.

So far, That Jorvik Viking Thing and its educational preview during Schools Week, have drawn more than 20,000 visitors to the website to watch more than 2,500 hours of video content. Some live-streams are still attracting audiences, not least the fun Poo Day, prompting Twitter to be flooded with images of home-made Viking worm-infested poo. 

The most popular video is a free 360-degree tour of Viking-age Coppergate that can even be viewed using a VR headset for a fully immersive experience.

For more information, or to access the array of video-on-demand resources, visit jorvikthing.com. 

*Who are the Norns?

In Norse mythology, the Norns are female beings who rule the destiny of Gods and men.

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Jorvik Viking Festival really is the Thing this year as York event goes online for six days

Einar Selvik: Live-streamed concert and Q&A session at That Jorvik Viking Thing.  Picture: Arne Beck

YORK is hosting the world’s largest online Viking festival, That Jorvik Viking Thing, from today (15/2/2021) until Saturday.

The digital diary in Lockdown 3 will be filled with chart-topping music, live-streamed events for all ages, virtual tours and the first-ever 360-degree immersive video of Jorvik Viking Centre’s celebrated ride through Viking-age York.

Against the backdrop of the Jorvik Viking Festival – the largest Viking festival in Europe – being unable to take place in the pandemic, organisers from York Archaeological Trust have created an online festival based on the concept of the “Thing” – a Viking public assembly.

Six days of exclusive new online content and live broadcasts will culminate with an evening with Nordic folk composer Einar Selvik, whose band Wardruna’s latest album, Kvitran, hit the top of the iTunes album chart in January.

Members of the Jorvik team prepare for That JORVIK Viking Thing. Picture: Charlotte Graham

At 7.30pm on Saturday, Einar will discuss his Nordic music, demonstrate instruments and perform a selection of his latest compositions. Ticket holders will be invited to send their questions for a live Q&A session hosted by music journalist and film-maker Alexander Milas.

Gareth Henry, events manager for York Archaeological Trust, has been tasked with putting together the online festival. “For many people, the February half-term is synonymous with Vikings as we’ve been hosting a festival for more than 35 years,” he says.

“Whether that be families drawn by the thrilling combat displays and spectacle of hundreds of Vikings marching through the city, or academics here for our annual symposium, where the latest research from all over the world is presented by leaders in the field of Viking studies.

“We can’t replace the crowds, but we can offer several hours of Norse-themed fun, including our most ambitious live-streamed series of events, live from Jorvik Viking Centre, on the final day of the Thing (20/2/2021): perfect preparation for the evening with Einar Selvik.”

Cressida Cowell: Author will read online from her Norse-themed children’s books

The transition of many elements of the festival to online events has been “fairly straightforward”, according to Gareth.  “Our family favourite events, like Poo Day, when children can recreate their own version of the Lloyds Bank Coprolite – the world’ most famous fossilised poo, which is on display within Jorvik Viking Centre – will be broadcast online,” he says.

“So will craft workshops, learning spinning and leather working – with packs posted out before the event – and our lecture programme.  In many ways, these can reach a far wider audience than we can usually accommodate in our York venues, and we’re already seeing tickets for the symposium being bought by people all over the world.”

Reaching new audiences has been a key focus for That Jorvik Viking Thing, particularly the use of technology to help deliver the festival programme, with funding from Innovate UK and Arts Council England helping the Jorvik team to explore new opportunities, including the virtual visit. 

“When most museums talk about virtual visits, they use static 360-degree cameras at set locations for visitors to jump from place to place to view the collection from fixed perspectives,” says Gareth. 

Hapless VIking Arnor, whose adventures feature in a new short film at That Jorvik Viking Thing

“We’ve been working with a local company, Vidaveo, to create a completely immersive version of our ride through Viking-age York.  Using a smart phone, tablet or even a VR [virtual reality] headset, you can ‘ride’ in one of our time capsules with our resident Viking guide, Fastulf, for the sounds and sights of 10th century Coppergate. The only thing we can’t include are the smells.”

Best-selling children’s authors are giving their support to That Jorvik Viking Thing, in the form of Cressida Cowell, Francesca Simon, Hilary Robinson, David MacPhail, Robert J Harris and Paul Tillery IV all recording extracts from their Norse-themed children’s books. 

The Jorvikanory videos will be available throughout the week, as will a series of podcasts, one featuring Horrible Histories author Terry Deary.

In light of York Archaeological Trust’s attractions being closed, ticket sales from premium events will provide an important source of income.  “Our two main fundraisers are the Evening with Einar Selvik, which has created quite a stir around the globe, and a special Mead Tasting Evening with the Lancashire Mead Company,” says Gareth.

Jorvik Viking Centre’s resident Skald retells The Saga Of Refr The Sly

“Participants in that evening will receive a box of mead samples, delivered to their home, and then receive expert tutelage on the mead-brewing process and flavours created.  Our original allocation of tickets sold out very quickly, so we have doubled capacity for this event, and only have a small handful of tickets left.” 

A virtual tour of Jorvik Viking Centre by Dr Chris Tuckley is proving “incredibly popular”. He will leave the time capsules behind to walk visitors around the attraction, pointing out detail – based on real archaeological evidence – that went into reconstructing the past. 

Other online content available for the first time will includes a series of Meet The Vikings films, exploring crafts, weapons, food and many other aspects of Viking life; an adventure with the hapless Arnor, as he hunts around his village for a lost ring, and two live Twitch sessions where experts review Norse-themed computer games from 1984’s Viking Raiders to 2020’s Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla to test authenticity and fun. 

A chapter from a traditional Viking saga, The Saga Of Refr The Sly, will be released each day to encourage visitors to return.

Jorvik Viking Festival normally takes place during the school holidays, so the York Archaeological Trust education team took the opportunity to create a special preview event, That Jorvik Viking Thing: School’s Week, that ran from February 8 to 12, offering free content, such as twice-daily live-streamed presentations for schools and home educators across the world. 

Much of the pre-recorded content of That Jorvik Viking Thing went live at 10am today and will remain accessible until midnight on Sunday, February 21 at jorvikthing.com, where tickets for paid-for events can be booked. Visitors to That Jorvik Viking Thing can donate to York Archaeological Trust online.

For full details of the That Jorvik Viking Thing programme, go to: jorvikthing.com

Terry Deary: Podcast for That Jorvik Viking Thing
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Could Jorvik Viking Centre, DIG and Barley Hall visitor attractions reopen on July 4?

Back on track? Plans are under way for Jorvik Viking Centre to reopen in July

JORVIK Viking Centre, DIG: An Archaeological Adventure and Barley Hall are developing plans for re-opening, as soon as government Covid-19 advice deems it safe to do so. 

So much so that bookings are being taken for time slots from July 4, subject to governmental rubber-stamping.

As the summer season looms ever closer, the team at the three York attractions is exploring ways to make them accessible within social-distancing guidelines, including a move towards pre-booked visits only and extended opening hours over the summer.

A tentative re-opening is being planned for York’s retail sector from the start of June, prompting the director of attractions for York Archaeological Trust, Sarah Maltby, to hope there will be “the critical mass of visitors for attractions to open in July”. Albeit this would be a somewhat different experience for visitors, taking into account requirements for cleaning and social distancing.

“Nobody really knows how people will react post-lockdown, but the best guidance we’re getting from the industry suggests that local people will stay close to home, with those living in tourism hotspots welcoming friends and relatives for short breaks,” says Sarah.

“Our own research shows people keen to return as soon as it is deemed safe to do so, and also if they are confident that attractions can provide a socially distanced experience, so we’re adapting our operating plans accordingly to manage low levels of visitor flow where this can be maintained.

DIG: An Archaeological Adventure: Plans to introduce enhanced series of presentations, protective equipment in the digging pits and more to see within the gallery spaces

“It is challenging, especially with indoor attractions, but we are no strangers to challenging circumstances and have a brilliant team who come up with innovative solutions to maintain great visitor experiences.”

One important change will be a move towards pre-booked visits only, in order to help control visitor flow and numbers, as well as extended hours over the key summer months.  “We will do away with the famous Jorvik queue around St Mary’s Square with clearly designated time slots for a limited number of visitors every 20 minutes,” says Sarah. 

“Within the building, in Coppergate, free-flow areas like the galleries will be more structured with presentations delivered by our Viking interpreters, rather than video content or handling sessions.”

Sarah continues: “The ride experience around the reconstructed Viking city will stay the same, albeit with increased cleaning regimes, and capsules will be exclusive to groups that arrive together.

“So we’re confident we can deliver a great experience where visitors can learn just as much as ever about the Vikings in York – in fact, some people will certainly prefer the far quieter experience, making it a great time for locals to rediscover the heritage on their own doorstep.”

Similar operational plans are being developed for Barley Hall, in Coffee Yard,  and DIG, at St Saviour’s Church, St Saviourgate, including relocating the Barley Hall shop to another part of the building, allowing greater space at the entrance for those visiting to wait for their time slots and creating a useful one-way system around the hall.

Barley Hall: Relocating the shop and creating a one-way system around the building

DIG will introduce an enhanced series of presentations, as well as protective equipment within the digging pits and more to see within the gallery spaces.

All sites will have sanitising hand gel available at regular points in the attraction, plus sneeze guards and floor markings. In addition, they have been implementing increased cleaning programmes since the pandemic first breached British shores, in particular fully disinfecting the attractions during the shutdown.

“As a charity, we rely on the income from our visitor attractions to support much of our research programmes, so we will do everything we can to keep these attractions open, operating and appealing, but safety has to come first,” says Sarah.

 “We are watching how the pandemic plays out, and will continue to adapt to the latest guidance and recommendations, so our visitors can be reassured that they can visit safely.” 

As trailed earlier, bookings are now being taken for time slots at the three attractions from July 4, pending confirmation from the Government that attractions and museums can open. 

Any updates and changes will be advised directly to ticket holders and shared across social media channels. In the meantime, virtual visitors can enjoy Discover From Home experiences on the Jorvik website: jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk/discover-from-home.

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CORONAVIRUS: York’s past at Jorvik Viking Centre closed for foreseeable future

JORVIK Viking Centre, in York, is temporarily closed for the foreseeable future in response to Government advice relating to minimising the risk of Covid-19.

Today’s statement from the Coppergate visitor attraction said: “The health and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers and visitors is our number one priority and so we have decided this action is the best step to take at this moment in time.

“We will do all that we can to keep you updated on the situation through our website and social media channels.

“If you are a visitor, group leader or school booked with us over the next few weeks, our reservations team will be contacting you shortly to discuss what your options are with regards rescheduling, refunds and alternative experiences. We apologise for any inconvenience this closure may have caused.”

The statement continued: “We are owned by York Archaeological Trust, an educational charity with a mission of ‘Building Better Lives Through Heritage’; and so ensuring all of our audiences remain engaged with their past is one of our key aims.

“With this in mind, we are working hard behind the scenes to create some new digital content that we look forward to sharing with you in the coming days and weeks. Please keep checking our social media and website for details.”

Meanwhile, donations are being sought for Jorvik’s own future wellbeing. “If you would like to show your support and offer a donation to York Archaeological Trust to help assist us during this difficult time, it would be appreciated enormously,”

Donors are asked to click on a link at jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk. Alternatively, please email enquiries@yorkat.co.uk or call 01904 663000.

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Jorvik Viking Festival organisers seek record crowds with two weekends to enjoy

The Vikings are coming as the largest festival of its kind returns to York next month. All pictures: Charlotte Graham

VOYAGING Vikings will make a nine-day stop in York next month for the 36th annual celebration of all things Norse, the Jorvik Viking Festival.

The largest event of its kind in Europe, drawing 45,000 people each year, this winter’s festival will run from February 15 to 23, incorporating two weekends to give even more visitors a chance to explore the lives of those who settled in the city.

Festival-goers also can look at how Vikings were perceived by other cultures around the world during their travels – sometimes trading, sometimes raiding. 

Shield Maidens at the 2019 Jorvik Viking Festival

The mainstay living history encampment in Parliament Street will provide a constant presence, with the smell of woodsmoke and fresh timber filling the air from demonstrations of Viking woodturning and metal work.

Event manager Gareth Henry, from the festival organisers, the Jorvik Viking Centre, says: “Weekends are by far the busiest time for the Jorvik Viking Festival, and incorporating two weekends makes the festival accessible to any families whose half-term holidays don’t align with those of York and North Yorkshire.

“We’re hoping that more people than ever before come along to experience a slice of our proud Norse heritage and enjoy the vast range of events on offer this year.”

Strong Viking women at last year’s Jorvik Viking Festival

Across the nine days, a host of events, activities, demonstrations and talks are available, many of them free of charge as part of the educational goals of York Archaeological Trust, the Jorvik Viking Centre owners.

“Being surrounded by all things Viking is a superb and fun way of learning about this remarkable culture,” says marketing manager Beth Dawes.

“Whether you spend time chatting to the re-enactors who repopulate the Viking city for us; attending lectures and expert talks; trying out new skills in a hands-on workshop, or even just watching the magnificent March To Coppergate through the city streets, everyone takes away something new when they visit.”

Voyaging Vikings ahoy: the 36th Jorvik Viking Festival in York is fast approaching

New for 2020 will be a Viking costume competition, looking to find the best-dressed Viking in York on Saturday, February 15 at 3pm on the festival’s St Sampson’s Square stage.

New too, a Trichinopoly workshop, teaching the art of Viking wire weaving on February 18, has sold out already.

A new route will be announced for the parade through the city centre, March to Coppergate, on Saturday, February 22, giving new opportunities to photograph around 200 costumed re-enactors as they walk through the city streets.

Full details of all the 2020 festival events are available online at jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk, where visitors can pre-book tickets for key events.  Some events, including the Viking Banquet on February 15 and the night-time son-et-lumiere Battle Spectacular in the Land of Darkness, have sold out, so reservations for other activities and the lecture programme are recommended strongly.