Murder Melee in the Meadow XXXIX
June 6–9th, 2024
Murder Melee has changed Meadows! We are pleased to announce that this year’s Melee will occur at the traditional Huntsman’s Harvest site, the Germania Hunt Club in Binbrook. We are planning activities to take advantage of our buildings and layout provided by this site.
Entry
Murder Melee in the Meadow returns for 2024 at the Germania Club!
Event Gate (Troll) opens on Thursday, June 6th at 6:00 PM and closes Sunday, June 9th at 12:00 PM. Gate open/close times are broken down in Gate Hours & Location and Major Events. If there is no attendant at Troll, please seek out an Event Steward or the Head of Gate to assist you with checking in.
More information regarding parking, camping spaces, and reservations will be available soon.
Attending with Children
SCA events are open to people of all ages, but parents of children will need to sign a waiver at the Event Gate for their children.
However if you are bringing a child for whom you are not the parent, or legal guardian, you will need to bring:
- A complete signed minor waiver or signed blue card
- A complete signed minor medical waiver (2 copies)
Please see Ealdormere’s Attending with Children page for more details.
Entry Fees
Adult Camping
- $55 for non-members
Adult Camping
- $55 for non-members
Weekend Camping
- $50 for non-members
Day Trip (any single day)
- $40 for non-members
Youth (under 18)
- Free for non-members
Adult Camping
- $55 for non-members
Adult Camping
- $55 for non-members
Weekend Camping
- $50 for non-members
Day Trip (any single day)
- $40 for non-members
Youth (under 18)
- Free for non-members
*Cheques must be made out to “SCA – Ben Dunfirth”
Location
Germania Park Campground
4221 Trinity Church Rd, Binbrook, ON L0R 1C0
Gate Hours
Thursday:
Open 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Friday:
Open 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday:
Open 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Please note: If there is no attendant at Troll, please seek out an Event Steward or Head of Gate (TBD) to assist you with checking in.
Site Map
Note: Site map is a work in progress and is subject to change.
Map courtesy of Prudence Underwit
Please click map for expanded view
Full Schedule
Please see below sections for more details on specific events.
Thursday:
6:00 PM – Event gate opens
8:00 PM – Medieval Movie Night (Tavern)
9:00 PM – Event gate closes
Friday:
9:00 AM – Event gate opens
1:00 PM – Archery | Range opens
2:30 PM – High Tea (Tavern)
1:00–4:00 PM – Rapier | Pick-Ups
4:00 PM – Mead Social (Tavern)
4:00 PM – Rapier | Tavern Treasure Tournament
4:00 PM – Sleeve Making & Construction Workshop (Town Hall)
5:00 PM – Archery | Range closes
6:00 PM – Armoured Combat | Authorizations
6:00 PM – Youth Combat | Tournament (Archery Field)
7:00 PM – Thrown Weapons | Range Set-Up (Throwing Range)
7:30 PM – Armoured | Novice Tournament (Archery Field)
9:00 PM – Armoured | Torchlight Tournament (Archery Field)
3:00 PM – Event gate closes
Saturday:
9:00 AM – Event gate opens
10:30 AM – Thrown Weapons | Range opens
10:30 AM – Archery| Range opens
TBD – Armoured | King’s Coterie of Armoured Combat
9:30 AM – Order of Thorbjorn’s Hammer Meeting (Town Hall)
10:00 AM – Rapier | Authorizations (Fighting Field)
10:30 AM – Order of the Laurel Meeting (Town Hall)
11:00 AM – Rapier | Melees (Fighting Field)
11:00 AM – Thrown Weapons | Yeoman of the Wolf Thrown (Throwing Range)
11:30–2:30 PM – Dancing (Town Hall Patio)
12:00 PM – Thrown Weapons | Range closes for lunch
12:30 PM – Armoured | 10-Person Melee (Fighting Field)
1:00 PM – Rapier | Poker Tournament, followed By Bear Pit Tournament (Fighting Field)
1:30 PM – Archery | Yeoman of the Wolf Shoot (Archery Range)
2:00–4:00 PM – Thrown Weapons | Privateer Tournament (Throwing Range)
2:30 PM – York Cycle Play Reading (Town Hall Patio)
3:00 PM – More Dancing (Town Hall Patio)
After Melee – Children’s Piñata
After Piñata – Children’s Tug-of-War (*After 10-Person Melee)
5:00 PM – Archery| Range closes
7:00 PM – Newcomer Corner With Marian of Heatherdale (Tavern Commons Field)
6:00 PM – Event gate closes
6:00 PM – Evening Great Court (Fighting Field, by The Lake)
9:00 PMish – Barbarian Un-Court
Sunday:
10:00–12:00 PM – Archery| Range opens, gradual tear-down
12:00 PM – Event gate closes
Range availability subject to site teardown timelines – drop by before noon and see if a marshal is present
Major Events
Please note: All activities are currently pending and are subject to change without notice.
Thursday:
6:00 PM – Event gate opens
8:00 PM – Medieval Movie Night (Tavern)
Gather round with your friends at the Tavern and watch a classic medieval movie together! Movie choice will be determined at the time.
9:00 PM – Event gate closes
Friday:
9:00 AM – Event gate opens
9:00 PM – Event gate closes
Saturday:
9:00 AM – Event gate opens
9:30 AM – Order of Thorbjorn’s Hammer Meeting (Town Hall)
Their Majesties, King Evander and Queen Marioun will meet with Their Order of Thorbjorn’s Hammer.
10:30 AM – Order of the Laurel Meeting (Town Hall)
Their Majesties will meet with Their Order of the Laurel at Melee.
TBD – King’s Coterie of Armoured Combat
The King’s Coterie takes place at every event. Any novice fighter (under two years authorization) or unauthorized, should seek out his Majesty.
After Melee – Children’s Piñata
A themed piñata created by Her Grace Hyrrokin is raised as a great beacon of joy for the youth of Ealdormere. It is then ceremoniously thrashed until it rains sweet, delicious candy upon its assailants.
After Piñata – Children’s Tug-of-War
Not yet having quenched their thirst for violence, the youth of Ealdormere compete in a grueling tug-of-war against the Barbarian household. So strong are the children of Ealdormere that they once tore the great tug-of-war rope clean in half!
6:00 PM – Evening Great Court (Fighting Field, by The Lake)
Their Majesties will hold a Great Court, inviting all Baronial Nobles of the Kingdom to sit with them and address the populace.
7:00 PM – Newcomer Corner With Marian of Heatherdale (Tavern Commons Field)
Join us one half hour after Great Court at Murder Melee XXXIX for a very special Newcomer Corner.
The staff of Murder Melee XXXIX are pleased to be able to bring you Ealdormere’s own ever talented Mistress Marian of Heatherdale (Heather Dale) who will perform a special rendition of her songs History or Ealdormere Part 1 and Part 2. These songs describe the pivotal moments of the founding of our great Kingdom. For this Saturday’s performance, Marian will, at times, pause to allow those Ealdormereans, who were there as history was written, to regale us with further details of the story.
For newcomers, this will be a unique opportunity to hear the trials and victories that make our Kingdom what it is today. For those more venerable, this will be an opportunity to remember and pay homage to those who have come and gone before us.
So come one and all, to hear our story, and your place in it!
9:00 PM – Event gate closes
Sunday:
No planned activities
12:00 PM – Event gate closes
Arts & Science
Activities
Activities
Thursday:
No planned activities
Friday:
2:30 PM – High Tea at The Tavern
Her Excellency Meredyth at the behest of her majesty, Queen Marioun II, invite all people of the realm old and new. Whether from Europe, The Steppes, Scandinavia, Africa, the Americas, or the East (mid, near, and far); Her Majesty would love to learn from whence you travel.
Come enjoy refreshment at High Tea!
*Sponsored by the Barbarian Household
4:00 PM – Baudouin’s Mead Social at The Tavern
Gather with other mead enthusiasts at The Tavern. Bring your own chalice and something to share! Nibbles welcome!
Contact L’honorable Seigneur Baudouin de Domrémy if you have questions:
4:00 PM – Sleeve Making & Construction Workshop at Town Hall
Students will use supplied materials to draft a basic two-piece fitted sleeve. Once completed the class will explore ways to manipulate the pattern to create various one and two piece sleeve shapes suitable for different periods and regions. The class will also discuss tips and tricks to make the installation of sleeves easier, and to improve the overall look and hang of a sleeve.
Class hosted by Magnifica Laura Battista.
All day – Stash Exchange
Is your stash threatening to take over your house? Have you been hanging on to a piece of fabric you will never use because it’s too nice to throw out? Did you start a hobby during the plague that you ended up hating, but are stuck with all the supplies for? Perhaps it can find a new home at the Stash Exchange!
Artists and amateurs alike are welcome to come browse through the stashes; you do not have to have brought something to take a treasure home. Any items that go unclaimed by Sunday will be donated.
Contact Howell James of Town’s End if you have questions:
Saturday:
11:30–2:30 PM – Dancing (Town Hall Patio)
We have a lovely patio outside the Town Hall building, next to the merchant area we are setting aside for dancing! We hear that dancers will converge at 11:30 AM on Saturday, taking a brief respite for lunch, and a York Cycle Play reading at 2:30 PM.
2:30 PM – York Cycle Play Reading (Town Hall Patio)
In exactly one year, the whole York cycle of medieval plays will be presented at UofT, downtown Toronto. A first reading will be performed at Murder Melee on the “dance floor” at 2:30 PM. Anyone interested in hearing the first reading is welcome to attend.
Warning: Christian content and archaic language.
3:00 PM – Dancing Resumes (Town Hall Patio)
Dancing shall resume at 3:00 PM and continue until the dancers tire, should the spirit and feet assembled be willing.
All day – Stash Exchange
Sunday:
No planned activities
Armoured & Rapier
Activities
Activities
Please note: All activities are currently pending and are subject to change without notice.
Thursday:
(No planned activities)
Friday:
1:00–4:00 PM – Rapier | Pick-ups (Run by Cesare Ambrogino di Salvazzi)
4:00 PM – Rapier | Tavern Treasure Tournament (Run by Cesare Ambrogino di Salvazzi)
There is treasure in the tavern. Some want to keep it safe, some want it for themselves – but it is the last one standing that will keep it.
6:00 PM – Armoured Combat | Authorizations
Armoured fighters who are not yet authorized may undergo the authorization process by fighting another opponent under the marshal’s instruction and review.
6:00 PM – Youth Combat | Tournament at The Archery Field (Run by Duke Trumbrand)
More information coming soon.
7:30 PM – Armoured | Novice Tournament at The Archery Field
You must be authorized for less than 3 years and must not have won a tournament prior to be eligible for the Novice Tournament
9:00 PM – Armoured | Torchlight Tournament at The Archery Field
An armoured combat bear pit tournament fought at night, by torchlight. A combatant holds the field and fights oncoming challengers until they lose. The winner of the bout takes over the field with the loser returning to the challenging line. The Torchlight Tournament is weather permitting.
Saturday:
10:00 AM – Rapier | Authorizations at The Fighting Field
Rapier fighters who are not yet authorized may undergo the authorization process by fighting another opponent under the marshal’s instruction and review.
11:00 AM – Rapier | Melee at The Fighting Field
A tournament of 10 on 10 rapier combatants participate in a melee battle. Teams of 10 will compete against other teams in a best-of-three battle.
12:30 AM – Armoured | 10-Person Melee at The Fighting Field
A tournament of 10 on 10 armoured fighters participate in a melee battle. Teams of 10 will compete against other teams in a best-of-three battle.
1:00 PM – Rapier | Poker Tournament, Followed by Bear Pit Tournament at The Fighting Field
More information coming soon!
TBD – Armoured | King’s Coterie of Armoured Combat
The King’s Coterie takes place at every event. Any novice fighter (under two years authorization) or unauthorized, should seek out his Majesty.
Sunday:
No planned activities
Archery & Thrown Weapons
Activities
Activities
All range activities are weather and marshal dependent.
Thursday:
6:00 PM – Archery | Range set-up
Open shoot is possible—see Marshal Don the Duckman to assist with range set-up.
Friday:
1:00 PM – Archery | Range opens
7:00 PM – Thrown Weapons | Range Set-up
Marshals In Training (MIT) should contact the TW Marshal In Charge to assist with range set-up.
5:00 PM – Archery | Range closes
Saturday:
10:30 AM – Archery | Range opens
10:30 AM – Thrown Weapons | Range opens
MIT’s are encouraged to come and spend time helping run the range.
11:00 AM – Thrown Weapons | Yeoman of the Wolf Throw
The Yeomen of the Wolf is a martial company within the Kingdom of Ealdormere, open to anyone who participates in ranged weapons activities.
Its mandate is to inspire participation in all types of ranged weapons activities; and to expand the frequency and variety of ranged weapons events and tournament types throughout the Kingdom.
See the Yeoman of the Wolf Ealdormere Wiki page for more information.
12:00 PM – Thrown Weapons | Range closes for lunch
1:30 PM – Archery | Yeoman of the Wolf Shoot
See the Yeoman of the Wolf Ealdormere Wiki page for more information on Yeoman of the Wolf.
2:00—4:00 PM – Thrown Weapons | Privateer Tourney
Capture the laden merchant ships and claim the bounty!
5:00 PM – Archery | Range closes
Sunday:
10:00—12:00 PM – Archery | Range is open
Open shoot with gradual range tear-down.
