11/12/2009

The dramatic reconstruction of a bloody battle for power, following the brutal deaths of three Viking kings in 910AD, will form the finale to the 25th Annual JORVIK Viking Festival (13th to 21st February 2010).

The Festival Battle Finale will take place on Saturday 20th February at York Racecourse and will see 200 Vikings re-enact the battle, which will culminate in the burning of the bodies of the three slain kings in a magnificent boat burning and low level fire art display.

Sarah Maltby, Director of Attractions at York Archaeological Trust, which owns the JORVIK Viking Centre, says: "This will be a spectacular finale to our 25th anniversary event with some magnificent special effects and fantastic fire displays. For the first time since 1999 there will be a boat burning of an 80ft Viking ship and there will be close combat demonstrations and one-on-one fighting.  There is capacity for 2000 people and we expect tickets to sell quickly for this extravaganza event."

The battle

The Festival battle will be taking place in the aftermath of the Battle of Woden's Field (910AD), when three Viking kings left their stronghold in York and raided deep into the Midlands and the South West.  As they returned from their raid, the king of Wessex (Edward the Elder) caught up with the Vikings at Wednesfield (near Wolverhampton), taking them by surprise and slaying them in their thousands.  All three kings perished.  The story of the battle of Woden's Field will be told in a film, which will be shown on a big screen immediately before the Festival battle.

The Festival battle itself will be fought between the forces of the Anglo-Saxon noble Ealdred (who has risen to power in the north of England, thanks to the power vacuum in York brought about by the deaths of the three Viking kings) and the Norse-Gael leaders Ragnall and Sihtric, Viking warriors from Ireland who have set their sights on the throne of York. The victorious party will then burn the bodies of the three slain kings in a magnificent boat burning.

Ticket information

Tickets are available online from www.jorvikbookings.com or by calling the JORVIK Viking Centre on 01904 615505.  Adults £10. Concessions £7.50. Family of four £30.  Family of five £35.

ENDS