I visited Corfe Castle this week, with Will, and his two children, Bruna and Benni - the car park opposite the castle was full of people carriers - the weird weather, with its sci fi heat waves, had attracted many visitors to Purbeck - when I went for a swim at Studland, I'd never seen so many people upon Middle Beach - they lay, basking, upon the sand, becoming brown and sleek in the strange sunlight -
A medieval village had been set up within the grounds of the castle - white pavilions were tethered to the warm turf - men, women and children were in costume - the women wore long green kirtles - the men swaggered about in stained linen shirts with knives tucked into their boots -
In one canvas booth, a slender apothecary showed leeches to shrinking children - bunches of potent herbs were arranged next to horoscopes - there was a shrivelled mouse as a charm -
A grizzled tough explained the principles of archery and combat - he plucked out his knife from his boot - this is my knife - this is how I deal with a fallen knight - a crowd of excitable boys watched as he plunged it through the eye socket of a helm - there, straight into his brain - if you cut his throat, you'd have to wash his clothes before you sold them -
It became clear that this man knew his history - he spoke of the Agincourt Rolls - how archers might be knighted - we were all fascinated by his story about William Jauderell -
But, most of all, he loved demonstrating history - he invited brawny dads to draw his long bow - they were unable to shift the bowstring more than a few inches -
I pitied those gilded lords, encased in their armour, riding knee to knee - I heard, in my reverie, the hissing sigh of steel tipped arrows -
It took a Purbeck ice cream to restore my spirits -
In one canvas booth, a slender apothecary showed leeches to shrinking children - bunches of potent herbs were arranged next to horoscopes - there was a shrivelled mouse as a charm -
A grizzled tough explained the principles of archery and combat - he plucked out his knife from his boot - this is my knife - this is how I deal with a fallen knight - a crowd of excitable boys watched as he plunged it through the eye socket of a helm - there, straight into his brain - if you cut his throat, you'd have to wash his clothes before you sold them -
It became clear that this man knew his history - he spoke of the Agincourt Rolls - how archers might be knighted - we were all fascinated by his story about William Jauderell -
But, most of all, he loved demonstrating history - he invited brawny dads to draw his long bow - they were unable to shift the bowstring more than a few inches -
I pitied those gilded lords, encased in their armour, riding knee to knee - I heard, in my reverie, the hissing sigh of steel tipped arrows -
It took a Purbeck ice cream to restore my spirits -
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