Defending the Gate 2025 – Canton of Sudentorre

Come Defend the Gates of Sudentorre!

Please join the Canton of Sudentorre for our event, Defending the Gate XVI on March 29th, 2025 from 9am – 10pm!

The Battle of Agincourt, one of the many battles that made up the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, took place on October 25, 1415 in Northern France. King Henry V of England led his troops into battle against the much larger French army, led by Constable Charles d’Albret, in what was widely regarded as a losing proposition for the English. However, the British superior discipline, field position, and, of course, longbow at Agincourt allowed the English to gain the upper hand in the War until the Joan of Arc led the French to victory at the Siege of Orléans in 1429.

What do you want to know?

What does it cost? Registration
How do I sign up? Registration
Who is running it? Event Staff
What is happening at this event? Activities
What food is being served? Food
When are things happening? Schedule
Where is it? Site Information
How do I get there? Directions

Activities

Martial Activities: There will be Armored Tournaments using the Gate of Sudentorre, Rapier Tournaments, Thrown Weapons, and Archery.

Arts & Sciences Activities: Her Excellency Cynthia encourages the populace of Atlantia to bring Bee-themed items, and/or Agincourt-themed items for display, and she will choose one to earn Her Favor.

Bardic: Our lovely site have a fantastic lakeside fire-pit, and we invite all performers and listeners to join a post-feast Bardic led by the Stierbach Lyric Bardic Champions, Nobles Ercole de Pavonis and Unn.

Court: His Highness Abran will be joining us for this event, and Their Excellencies Dunstan and Cynthia will be looking for a member of the Baronial populace to be the new recipient of the Stierbach Dreamers Cup.

Food

A dayboard lunch of hearty soldiers’ fare will be served at no additional cost as long as supplies last. Lunch will consist of chickpea soup, cheese, bread and fruit.

Evening Feast

This will be a sumptuous 15th Century Feast themed around French and English recipes. Feast will be limited to 64 so please pre-register to secure your seat for feast. Copies of the menu with all ingredients will be provided at your table. If you have any dietary/allergy questions please contact the Head Cook (jasper.millar at gmail.com)

There will be a fundraiser for the University of Mary Washington Renaissance Club which partners with the Canton of Sudentorre. Students in the Ren Club will serve your feast to earn tips towards their club’s yearly expenses. Bring your gold (cash) and prepare to tip well for the glory of ~~England~~ France! (We will be having a tip war between servers representing France and England and all tips will be donations to the Ren Club.)

Feast Menu

This menu is subject to change based on ingredient availability and price. Menus with full ingredient lists will be at your table.

First Course: Tart of Chicken and Plums, Salat, Makeroun (pasta with cheese and spices), Spargellshafts (asparagus arrows), Sweet Frumenty (buckwheat porridge with dried fruit)
Interlude: Winter Vegetable Stew with Manchet Bread and butters
Second Course: Hedgehogs (lamb meatballs) with sauces, Mushrooms with Cheese, A Different Salat, Sambocade (elderflower and violet cheesecake)

Registration

Pre-registration is available for this event on SCORES. If registering by mail, send to the reservationist and make checks payable to SCA, Inc., Canton of Sudentorre.

	Day-trip	Feast	Camping
Adult Member Registration	$20	$15	$0
Adult Non-member Registration	$30	$15	$0
Youth (5-17)	$8	$15	$0
Child (0-4)	$0	$0	$0

Event Costs

Reservationist Information

SCA Name: Lady Vallaragna in Spaka / Mundane Name: Shelby Sanders (scsanders70@gmail.com)

Address: 43 Town and Country Drive, Suite 119 Box 171, Fredericksburg, VA 22405

Refund Policy: Refund requests must be made in person at a regularly scheduled Canton business meeting, or via email or in writing to the Event Steward or Reservationist. Refund requests must be received/postmarked via mail, email, electronic format (not verbal) prior to the end of the event in question. Honored refunds shall be posted within seven (7) business days of the end of the event in question. Feast refunds are only available if the feast space is oversold or the spot is resold to another attendee. All other refunds are made at the discretion of the Canton Emergency Financial Committee. All refunds not cashed within 120 days of date of issue will be returned to the general fund.

Event Staff

Event Steward: Dunstan Stonehill (Don Sutton), 1435 Aquia Dr. Stafford, VA 22554, Phone: (208) 283-7724, E-mail: Donald.e.sutton@gmail.com

Merchants are welcome – Please contact the event steward for more information.

Gate & Reservationist: SCA Name: Lady Vallaragna in Spaka / Mundanely: Shelby Sanders (scsanders70@gmail.com)

Field Space Coordinator: Please email Baron Dunstan Donald.e.sutton@gmail.com about field space requests

Marshall-in-Charge: Lord Thorgrimr Kraka

Head Cook: Lord Jasper of Hartshorn-dale / Jasper Millar (jasper.millar@gmail.com)

Arts & Science Coordinator: Magnifica Helena Hrolfsdottir / Penelope Millar (penelilady@gmail.com)

Schedule

The site opens at 9 am and closes 10:00 pm. Stragglers will be conscripted for clean-up.

**Tentative Schedule to be updated**

8:00 AM – Event open for all Staff
8:30 AM – Gate Opens
9:00 AM MoL and Field opens for authorizations and inspections
- A&S Drop off begins (Main Hall)
- Chatelaine/Gold Key Opens (Tent Near Gate)
- Rapier Authorizations and Inspections begin
- Archery inspections and practice range opens
- Thrown Weapons range opens
10:00 AM Morning Court Begins (indoors)
- MoL closes for morning court
- A&S drop-off closes for morning court
11:00 AM (After Court)
- MoL Resumes authorizations and inspections
- A&S drop-off resumes
- Children’s Activities begin
- Armored Authorizations and Inspections begin
- Rapier Inspections resume, Rapier warmups
11:30 – 1:30 Rapier: Bedford Points Tourney
12:00 PM Day Board and Lunch (Main Hall)
1:30 PM Rapier: Melee and post Melee pickups, Rapier List
2:00 PM Troll gate closes: only pre-registered entrants after this point
- Baronial Audience with Baron & Baroness in Main Hall
3:30 – A & S Display and Competitions Close
- All List Fields/Ranges close for the day
- Tournaments conclude
- Gate is broken down – All Hands Needed
- A&S items should be picked up by this time
4:00 PM Afternoon Court (Indoors)
5:00 PM End Afternoon Court
6:00 PM Dancing at the main hall
6:30 PM Feast to begin
8:30 PM Feast to end – All Hands Needed for Clean Up
- Bardic begins at fire pit

Site Information

Site: Izaak Walton League, Fredericksburg/Rappahannock Chapter, 12400 Herndon Rd., Sotsylvania Courthouse, VA 22553

Accessibility: This site is not ADA compliant. There are parking spaces that will be designated as handicapped spaces in front of the Main Hall and in front of the building which will serve as the Royal Room; that building has an accessible ramp that leads to indoor, accessible single-occupant bathroom. There will also be outdoor restrooms, one of which will be accessible. The Main Hall is all on one floor, and there are no stairs, but is down the hill from the Gate. Martial activities are primarily on the grassy areas on the property, with some rapier possible in wooded areas, and archery is primarily in wooded areas. Please contact the Event Steward with specific concerns.

Site Restrictions: Limited Alcohol Permitted (Beer, Wine, Mead only): Alcohol is permitted in the feast hall only.

No one is allowed to become intoxicated at this event.
No one under the age of 21 can consume or possess any alcoholic beverages under any circumstances.
The VA ABC License must and will be posted in the public view where the alcohol will be permitted.
All open alcohol containers must stay on the premises.

Pets: Pets are welcome but must be on a leash and are not allowed indoors.

Directions

Traveling from the North: Via I-95 South, take exit 130B to VA-3 w/Plank Road, turn left onto Orange Plank Road, turn left onto Herndon Road, destination on the right.

Traveling from the South: Via I-95 North, take exit 130B to VA-3 w/Plank Road, turn left onto Orange Plank Road, turn left onto Herndon Road, destination on the right.

THE SCA Prohibits Harassment and Bullying of All Individuals and Groups

Participants engaging in this behaviour are subject to the appropriate sanctions. If you are subjected to harassment, bullying, or retaliation, or if you became aware of anyone being harassed or bullied, contact a seneschal, President of the SCA, or your Kingdom Board Ombudsman. In case of an emergency, official information will come exclusively from the site herald and deputies.

For corrections to this website, please contact webminister@sudentorre.atlantia.sca.org.