The Canton of Lightwood

Lightwood was blessed with a beautiful winter’s day for the resumption of Canton Day on Saturday 8 July. We had 12 people in attendance, including several who had travelled down from the greater Barony, and several rounds of archery were enjoyed, interspersed with a pot luck lunch. The ingenious backstop for catching arrows and preventing them from travelling into the neighbour’s paddock worked very effectively. Thanks to Lady Mariot and Lord Ranmor for their hospitality, and the effort they put into preparing the archery range. We hope to be back again soon!

The Canton held its midwinter event, based on the Roman Festival of Saturnalia and stewarded by THL Karl Faustus von Aachen, at Kraken Hall on June 24th. We were pleased to have the company of Baron Gilbert Purchase and Baroness Bethony Gaitskell of Krae Glas and their family for the occasion. The Gladiatorial Games during the day were greatly entertaining (if chilly). The populace were able to buy a gladiator for the games at the initial auction, held after opening Court, and the first round of the tourney was conducted by owner’s challenge. There was much amusement provided by the …

The Canton celebrated our third St Sebastian’s Archery Picnic on February 18th. It was a fun, low-key event, in which the usual high calibre of archery in the Barony was on display. The fiendish mind of the Canton’s Captain of Archers had been hard at work to produce new targets to dismay and confound all comers, as is now traditional. The place-getters of the archery competition were Lord Anselm da Calabria (first on 146), Thomas Loxley (140) and Lord William de Bonnay (139). Winner of the pairs shoot were Thomas Loxley and Baroness Anna Felice Tavestoche (122). Congratulations to them …

The Canton kicked off archery practice for the season with a well-attended session at Surges Bay oval today. Archery practice happens every fortnight (please check the calendar for exact dates) from 11:30 (set-up) to around 3pm. Anyone can come and have a go, you just need to sign an event membership and pay an indemnity for the day so that you are covered by insurance. Children are welcome to participate from the age of about 5, under parental supervision. For more details, see our page on Archery, or contact our Captain of Archers, Lord William de Bonnay, on 6297 1083.

The Canton sent a goodly contingent of members to the Sheffield Medieval Festival this year, to help represent the Barony. The stalwart de Bonnay family also lent their aid to the Loxley Archers group in the running of the archery display. Despite the rain and wind it was a great event, with lots of interested souls braving the weather to come and see what is on offer in the medieval world in Tasmania. A great photo of Canton Captain of Archers Lord William de Bonnay, captured in action, was also included in the ABC News Online’s excellent story on the …

Congratulations to all those members of the Canton who – among many other members of the broader Barony – were recognised for their achievements at the End of an Era Royal event on Saturday! In the Court of King Steffan and Queen Branwen, Baron Sir Guillaume d’Oze was elevated to the Order of the Silver Pegasus for his consistent record of outstanding service to the Barony of Ynys Fawr, and through it, the Kingdom of Lochac. Baron Karl Faustus von Aachen was awarded the Order of Taillefer for his achievements in the bardic arts over many years. Many inspirational words …