Sunday, May 06, 2007

The Conroi de Vey

As many of you know, I re-enact with living history society Regia Anglorum - which means Kingdoms of England. The society's brief is to accurately portray the peoples living in the UK between the years of 954 and 1066. However it does go outside these parameters and the membership has expertise stretching from early Anglo Saxon through to the late Norman/early Angevin period.
The society is divided into various local branches who take on a particular ethnicity valid to their area during this period. Being as I live not far from Nottingham, and I have a yen for all things Norman, I belong to the Notts branch of Regia, the Conroi de Vey, who are Norman orientated, but also have a very strong Saxon contingent. Recently, thanks to the efforts of Nathan - big beardy chap in the middle of the photo, De Vey has its own website - still an infant, but coming on well. Here's the url. http://livinghistory.co.uk/homepages/ConroiDeVey/index.html
Generally speaking, a conroi is a Norman warband of around 25 troops. (I read the other day that a constabulary was ten. Something I didn't know!). Due to writing and family commitments I don't always get to the shows that Regia Anglorum puts on round the country, but I will be slaving over a hot cauldron at the Tollerton village show next month in good company with the rest of de Vey. Among our ranks we have a skilled weapons smith, a woodturner, a leather worker and a textile expert. I dabble on the cookery side. I may not be able to spin wool worth a bean, but I do manage a mean beef and cumin stew!

7 comments:

KC said...

How I wish that I was on your side of the pond so that I could visit you in your camp! By the way, I tried the link your provided, but it didn't go anywhere. I'll try it again later to see if it works then.

Unknown said...

there's an extra http// in the link that shouldn't be there - that's why it's not working.

Susan (conroi de vey)

Elizabeth Chadwick said...

Erk, will go and fix it now before I get on with the day job - which is a midnight oil job today!

Carla said...

The link is working now. Have a great time at the Tollerton show!

Renee said...

Elizabeth - was wondering if you can explain any more about the 'de Vey' portion of your group's name. I assume it means 'of Vey', but it's the Vey portion I'm trying to unearth more. de Vey was my grandmother's maiden name. Where/what is Vey? I know her ancestors were from France.

Elizabeth Chadwick said...

Hi Renee,

Sorry not to get back to you sooner, but life as usual got in the way.
The Conroi de Vey was formed while I was a member of another group in Regia, so by the time I joined the name was well established. As far as I can tell from talking to other members of de Vey, it was chosen from Vey in Normandy, of which there are apparently three. Which of the three and why, I don't know, but will investigate further at the Tollerton show when most of us will be there.

Elizabeth Chadwick said...

Hi Renee,

Sorry not to get back to you sooner, but life as usual got in the way.
The Conroi de Vey was formed while I was a member of another group in Regia, so by the time I joined the name was well established. As far as I can tell from talking to other members of de Vey, it was chosen from Vey in Normandy, of which there are apparently three. Which of the three and why, I don't know, but will investigate further at the Tollerton show when most of us will be there.