Steve Wagstaff
Dark ages trader/demonstrator
Periods covered: Roman to early Anglo-Saxon
Contact: Steve Wagstaff or Fiona Rashleigh
07710 335 673
Steve has had a long interest in the Roman period and has dug at several
archaeological sites in the Northamptonshire area. His training is as an
engineer and has combined these interests for the last fifteen years
making reproduction Roman artefacts, mainly civilian and especially
medical items all based on archaeological evidence. We now sell these
items to museums, schools, historical interpreters, re-enactors and general public. These are mainly items from the first
to fourth century AD, but can also include some early Anglo-Saxon
period.
Fiona also has a long-term interest in history
and with her qualifications in teaching and holistic therapies and
interest in textiles enjoys demonstrating and explaining to the public.
We have a range of ‘authentic type’ tents which we use to
display and 
demonstrate from and spend most weekends going to various
sites. We aim to demonstrate as authentically as possible some of the
processes in making or using the items we produce and sell. At the
moment this includes carving the wax writing tablets and filling them
with beeswax, decorating some of the jewellery, and assembling items
e.g. belts or capsula, and working a pole lathe.
At events where there
are other re-enactors we try to re-create the workshop of a fabrica, and
repair any items being used by others in their demonstrations. Fiona enjoys demonstrating various aspects of Roman life. This
includes demonstrations and talking about health and hygiene of the
period with bath house and medical items, and demonstrations of
cosmetic production, massage etc. She can also show some methods of
making cloth, from fibre to textile, for both linen and wool, including
combing of the fibres, spinning and small scale weaving such as the use
of heddles and tapestry weaving for motifs on clothing some information
on dyes and a variety of finished garments for the public to handle.
We try to tailor what we do to the event and so bring what is
appropriate.
