Medieval Tournament at Fort Knox-Morning

Today we took a fifty minute road trip to the Medieval Tournament at Fort Knox.  Fort Knox, near Bucksport, is about the closest Maine gets to the ambiance of an old world castle, with its dry moat, sprawling battlements of native granite and high river bank placement. The first question any visitor asks is, “Is this where they keep the gold?” The answer is no. This Fort Knox, unlike the gold depository in Kentucky, was built in the mid 1800’s to safeguard the mighty Penobscot River from invading British Canadians. It is located across the river from the town of Bucksport, in the shadow of the new cable-stayed Penobscot Narrows Bridge. More can be learned about Fort Knox and the new bridge at the excellent Friends of Fort Knox website.

The Medieval Tournament was sponsored by the Friends of Fort Knox and the Society for Creative Anachronism, a wonderfully silly group of people who began in Berkeley, California in 1966, and who have the goal of recreating the Middle Ages through dress, music and activities. Think Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I had no idea there was such a group in Maine! In fact, there are four “shires” in Maine, Malagentia, Hadrian’s Keep, Endewearde and Smithwick. Fort Knox happens to be in the shire of Endewearde, the members of which were the primary organizers of the events.

Upon entering the fort grounds we were transported to a different time as we encountered a defender adjusting a giant crossbow. Never mind that it was built with a leaf spring from a truck and that it shot arrows rendered harmless with PVC pipe and foam rubber, those details are easily overlooked when we saw the fine wooden construction and the convincing dress of the adjustor. Just before the entrance to the fort were situated two large round tents. The inhabitants explained that the raw cotton swelled to become waterproof in the strongest of downpours, and that no other waterproofing was used. The interior furnishings appeared authentic and finely crafted. I was informed by a tent dweller of the definitions of the terms Middle Ages, Medieval and Renaissance and the time periods involved.