Once again, thousands of people from all over the country will be converging on the town’s Lower Castle Park this weekend for the Colchester Medieval Festival and Oyster Fair.

Recreating a bygone age when archers rubbed shoulders with pig herders. central to such a gathering would have been the market, and at this weekend’s two-day event there will once again be avenues of stalls selling everything from a brass pin to a full suit of armour.

Around the market there’s always plenty to see and do.

In the tourney ring, or combat arena, there will be country backswording, where fighting took place with wooden cudgels, rather than swords, as well as demonstrations of the use of various weapons. For younger fairgoers, there will be medieval plays performed by Mummers, as well as storytellers, jugglers and musicians.

One of the major draws of the festival is the Archer of the Fair, which this year will see sharpshooters from far and wide take part.

Colchester Medieval Festival and Oyster Fair is in Lower Castle Park, Colchester, tomorrow and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Admission is £12 for adults and £6 for children for the weekend, or £3 per child and £7 per adult for a day at the gate or at foodanddrinkfestivalsuk.co.uk