Every year the Knights of Royal England entertain the crowds at Hever Castle with their thrilling Jousting tournaments.
The organisation is headed up by Jeremy Richardson who has been involved in the sport since he was a teenager.
He explained: “I have always had an interest in history and this was something that looked pretty exciting. Fortunately I could ride quite well and together with a friend we started jousting at Chilham Castle in Kent with a very flamboyant stuntman called Max Diamond. I stayed with him for about eight years, jousting every weekend during the summer all the while having a full-time job and career.
“Jousting was just about taking off (again after the Middle Ages) so I decided to start my own jousting team, and the Knights of Royal England were born.”
Six Spanish horses are part of the Knights of Royal England family, all trained for jousting and film work. Working hard in the summer, they get the winters off to go for rides in the woods.
Jeremy adds: “The horses we use are the same breed used for jousting in medieval times so they have a natural aptitude for jousting, they are very brave, forward going and have great trust in their rider which makes them fearless in battle.”
As well as the horses there are around six or seven knights who are part of the Knights of Royal England riding at weekends alongside their full-time jobs. They are all competent riders but go through rigorous safety training.
The Knights of Royal England not only perform at Hever Castle but travel all over Britain and Europe including to the Middle East and to islands off the coast of Denmark and to Sweden.
Jousting at Hever Castle takes place on selected dates in July and August.
Jeremy says: “In medieval times a jousting tournament may have taken around 3 days and been quite a slow and laborious affair, with our re-creation of the tournament at Hever Castle we try and condense all the highlights, all the thrills and spills into our 75 minute tournament with an emphasis on the action.”
When he is not on a horse Jeremy has spent his business career in trade publishing, conferences and exhibition. For the past 6 years he has ran a charity called the Horse Rangers.
Book your visit to Hever Castle & Gardens.
Within the grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, there are two opportunities for you to stay the night with us.
Hever Castle has played host to many important events and celebrations for over 600 years. In 1903 when William Waldorf Astor set about restoring Hever Castle to its former glory, he added the Astor Wing, to accommodate his family and guests, before creating a lake and the spectacular Italian Garden to house his impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary.
There are multiple places to eat & drink across the Hever Castle Estate. Select between the Castle & Gardens and Golf Club below to discover more.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, Hever Castle Golf Club is a 27 hole Kent golf course that will encourage and inspire all golf enthusiasts.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, the Wellbeing Centre consists of five smart treatment rooms.
