The Highland Rose: Jacobite Living History Group

Public interaction at Winterfest Sydney Medieval Fair 2014. We are a living history reenactment group, so this is why we do it; sharing our knowledge and passion for this historical period with others! :)

* Please note the public are NOT handing any real fi****ms; we have several non functioning replica flintlocks so the public can get their hands on them (under supervision), the real working fi****ms are only handled by licensed group members.

Cooking Kits and weapon displays at Winterfest Sydney Medieval Fair 2024.

Photos Allen Harrison & Cubic Centimedia

Highland Rose Jacobites at Winterfest Sydney Medieval Fair 2024!

Photos Marta Madison

Around the Jacobite Camp at Winterfest Sydney Medieval Fair 2024.

Photos by Esther Jackson

We’re very excited to introduce the 2024 Jacobite Festival, which will take place across multiple locations in Scotland between the 16th and 25th of August.

Follow in the footprints of Bonnie Prince Charlie - and earlier Jacobites too - as we highlight just a few of the key historical sites and collections that reflect this period of political and military conflict.

From Inverness and the Isle of Skye all the way to Edinburgh and the Borders, these independent events will take you on a journey to discover how Scotland's culture and communities were changed forever during the Jacobite period.

Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing details from each of the events that have prepared exhibitions, guided tours, and more as part of this festival, as well as highlighting some of Scotland's most important Jacobite sites.

We hope to see you there. https://jacobitescotland.org/festival/

Musket fire demonstration at Winterfest Sydney Medieval Fair 2024 as part of a timeline of gunpower show.

Photos by Cubic Centimedia

🎟️ Buy your tickets today for the Hunter Valley Highland Games and tag a friend you’d love to bring along! Click here to secure your spot: https://www.huntervalleyhighlandgames.com.au/pages/tickets

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📅 24th August 2024
⏰ 9:30am - 4pm
📍 .estate in Lovedale
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The Highland Rose: Jacobite Living History Group had a wonderful time at Winterfest Sydney Medieval Fair 2024. We will share many photos from the event over the coming days, if you have any photo of us from the event please share them with us. To begin here are some behind the scenes photos from our camp.

Not long now, The Highland Rose: Jacobite Living History Group will have demos and performances all day at our camp, as well as taking part in a timeline of gunpowder displays in front of the grandstand between 1245 and 1345 etch day! :)

What's on at Winterfest? Check out this year's timetable to make sure you catch all your favourite shows and displays! https://bit.ly/WFtimetable

📷John Cully

A basket-hilted backsword (c1700) known as 'The Charmed Sword'. A legendary MacPherson object: Clan tradition says that no one carrying this sword was ever wounded in battle. It passed Into the hands of Cluny from the decendants of the Duke of Argyll. After the '45, it is said to have been worn during the Indian Uprising by Duncan MacPherson, the 21st Chief.

Clan MacPherson Museum, Newtonmore.

Close-up of a backsword hilt owned by Cluny MacPherson, ‘Cluny of the ‘45.

Another treasure to be seen in the Clan MacPherson Museum, Newtonmore. It’s a brilliant little museum and well worth a look if you’re in the area.

Candle holder apparently used in Cluny’s Cage on Ben Alder. This item was later in the possession of the MacPhersons of Glentruim until the family donated it in 1997 to the wonderful Clan MacPherson Museum in Newtonmore. It may be the only surviving relic from the legendary hideout.

And 18th Century Jacobites!

Meet passionate re-enactors bringing history to life! From Romans & Vikings to medieval knights & Dutch militia, Winterfest offers a chance to explore different eras. Learn about the past, and be transported to another time!

Secure your discounted online tickets today https://bit.ly/WFtix24

📷Marco Nero

We are delighted to announce that we have been granted our liquor licence for this year's Highland Games meaning our bar will be open at the event!

Who is as excited as we are?!

Join us at Saltire Estate Winery for an unforgettable fusion of cultural heritage and delight.

See you there!

A few behind the scenes photos from our resent group working bee.

Please contact us if you are interested in getting involved, we are always looking for new members with a passion for History! :)

Only 6 weeks to go until Winterfest 2024! Are you planning a costume or cosplay? We'd love to see a sneak peek!

Secure your discounted tickets today https://bit.ly/WFtix24

📷Marco Nero

Mark your diary to at the Hunter Valley Highland Games
Details👉 www.huntervalleyhighlandgames.com.au

A beautiful little Highland sgian found together with a small drinking glass or vessel in Cluny’s Cave on the slopes of Creag Dhubh near Newtonmore in Badenoch. The cave was one of the many hiding places of Cluny MacPherson after the last Jacobite Rising.

Photo: Courtesy NMS.

We're pleased to announce the "Highlander Portrait" of Bonnie Prince Charlie will remain on display at the museum until the end of October 2024.

A big thank you to Dr Bendor Grosvenor for making this possible and to those who were in touch asking to see the painting over the summer.

For more information about the lost portraits of Bonnie Prince Charlie read our blog.

https://www.westhighlandmuseum.org.uk/blogitem.jsp?id=91

Next weekend (Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June) the Highland Rose, Jacobite Living History Group will be having a group meet and greet/working bee near Newcastle, NSW. If you are interested in joining the Highland Rose it could be a good time to meet some of our members and get involved without the pressure of a public event. If you are interested please feel free to PM the page for details! 😀

COME JOIN US! The Highland Rose, Jacobite Living History Group is seeking new members who have a passion for C17/18th Scottish History.

We specialise in 17th & 18th Century “Jacobite Era” Highland (Scottish) reenactment, from the 1689 uprising up to and including the 1745 uprising, with most of our members choosing to focus on the ‘45 uprising.

We are primarily a “living history” reenactment group. Our aim is to reenact for the love of history, and historical arts, share our knowledge of the dress, weapons, martial, and wider culture of this time. Whether that be the historical martial arts and warfare, or things such as historical trades like blacksmithing, wood or leather work, weaving, knitting and dyeing, or even the music or food of the location and era. We do this not only for our own love for it, but to share this passion and knowledge of history with the greater public via interactive demonstrations, displays and talks.

We also practice HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts), specifically Highland Broadsword, Broadsword and Targe, Dirk, Smallsword, and other weapon systems relevant to our period of reenactment.

Any age and experience level welcome, as long as you have a passion for history and willingness to learn about this very interesting and complex period of Scotland’s history. We are based in NSW, Australia. Most of our current members are based around the Sydney, Newcastle area, but we have members from all over the state and potentially further afield.

If this sounds like something that interests you, we want you! Please contact us for more information and membership forms.

~The Highland Rose.

Sad news from Bonnie Wingham Scottish Fair '24:

Prince Charles Edward Stuart is probably one of the most iconic people associated with the history of Scotland. I find him an absolutely fascinating person to study, because I think there is a great deal more to the man than is perhaps commonly thought. The ‘45 Uprising forever changed the course of Scottish, and British, history and I think that is why I’m so fascinated with studying the clothing from this period; because it was a time of great transition (not unlike the times we are living in just now).

This pastel was made by Katherine Read (1723 - 1778) who is recognised as the first female Scottish portrait artist. Her family were ardent Jacobites, and after Culloden fled to France like many other Jacobite families. They were given sanctuary in Paris where they were introduced to Robert Strange, who it is thought was Katherine’s teacher and introduced her to the Parisian art scene. Later on in the 1740s, she spent time in the studios of de la Tour and Blanchet.

This portrait of the prince is thought to have been made in about 1747, in Paris, from life. In a discussion yesterday, the owner of the portrait pointed out to me the signs of blue sky in the upper left hand corner, which was to symbolise that Charles Edward fully expected there to be another rising and that his time would come.

This portrait is believed to have been the prince’s favourite - and most accurate- portrait of himself. The only slight alteration Read made to flatter her sitter was a slight change to his nose (you can see it about half way up on the right hand side).

If you enjoyed this wee insight into Jacobite art history, please consider supporting my work to support new apprenticeships in historical dressmaking and tailoring at https://ko-fi.com/joannafwatson

Mòran taing!

⚔️Mark your calendar!⚔️
Winterfest is on the 6th & 7th of July in 2024!
Always on the first weekend of the NSW school holidays.

Cheer for battling knights, try your hand at archery, wander amongst elves and orcs, savour delectable foods, and find handcrafted and quality wares.