Ref.10472WOOTTON Bassett went back to Chaucer's day on Sunday, with its annual medieval festival.

Hundreds of residents and visitors filled the blocked-off high street dressed in doublets and hose to watch historical re-enactments, medieval fancy dress competitions and sample the stalls.

Deputy town crier Owen Collier took part in the festivities dressed, as always, for the occasion in a green and fawn tunic and hose.

He also kept festival-goers in line with his lethal looking longbow and quiver of arrows.

He said: "I have done a bit of archery as part of my re-enactment societies, and although I am not an expert I could probably have killed one of the Sheriff of Nottingham's men.

"The whole festival was a really good day. Company of Ordinance, a medieval re-enactment society, was there and put on a display of medieval guns.

"They fired all their smaller guns, and they had a huge cannon which they were going to fire, but some of the High Street businesses were a bit concerned about their plate glass windows"

Medieval weaponry expert James Armstrong demonstrated a pole cannon, a hackbut musket and matchlock gun.

He said: "I am just fascinated by the medieval period. We had a really good response from people in the town."

As well as showing off medieval dress and weapons, the Company of Ordinance also had an open range cooking medieval style food, and a medieval apothecary's stall selling herbs, potions and cures.

There was a hog roast, and medieval wench Rachael Reeves served up her 15th century fennel, chicken and pumpkin soup to the crowd.

Festival goers enjoyed performances by jesters, stilt-walkers and musicians.

Children joined medieval craft and weapon making workshops under awnings in front of Stafford House, and revelled in music workshops in Borough Fields square.

They also enjoyed a fancy dress competition.

Music was provided by local bands, including Big Sam's steel band, the Melksham peelers, Wootton Bassett Christian music society Heart and Soul and John Curry's Jazz Men.