Camlann Medieval Village

Museum · King County

Camlann Medieval Village

Museum · King County

1

10320 Kelly Rd NE, Carnation, WA 98014

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Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by Heather Arment (Atlas Obscura User) (Used with Permission)
Camlann Medieval Village by Heather Arment (Atlas Obscura User) (Used with Permission)
Camlann Medieval Village by Heather Arment (Atlas Obscura User) (Used with Permission)
Camlann Medieval Village by Heather Arment (Atlas Obscura User) (Used with Permission)
Camlann Medieval Village by Heather Arment (Atlas Obscura User) (Used with Permission)
Camlann Medieval Village by Heather Arment (Atlas Obscura User) (Used with Permission)
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null
Camlann Medieval Village by null

Highlights

Step into Camlann Medieval Village, a charming living history museum in rural Washington where you can engage with artisanal demonstrations and savor authentic 14th-century dining amidst the enchanting forest backdrop.  

Placeholder
Placeholder

10320 Kelly Rd NE, Carnation, WA 98014 Get directions

camlann.org

$$

Information

Static Map

10320 Kelly Rd NE, Carnation, WA 98014 Get directions

+1 425 788 8624
camlann.org

$$

Features

restroom
crowd family friendly
parking free street
wheelchair accessible parking lot
wheelchair accessible entrance
wheelchair accessible restroom
wheelchair accessible seating

Last updated

Jul 28, 2025

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12 Restaurants Hidden in Museums Around the Globe

"This living history museum strives to offer the sights, sounds, and smells of Medieval England in the wilds of rural Washington. Tucked in a scenic clearing in the forest, Camlann Medieval Village is a child friendly tourist trap with an old fashioned bent that is popular with families and school groups alike. In this loosely recreated 14th century village, actors portraying different medieval archetypes mingle among modern day visitors, telling them about life in the fictitious village. There are daily demonstrations of 14th century trades, including archery, candle-making, spinning, artwork, clothing design and the ever popular blacksmithing. Yearly festivals include Michaelmasse, St. James Fair, the May Festival and the Harvest Festival. These celebrations feature medieval music, story- telling and hearth cooked ploughman’s meals, along with plenty of wine, mead, and muste (spiced juice) to wash the heavy food down. Visitors can also stuff themselves silly at Ye Bors Hede Inne, the village restaurant. The restaurant serves historically accurate food such as Fenberry Pye (pork, chicken and cranberries), Burbelier de Sangle (roast pork in wild boar sauce), and Blamanger (rice, chicks, sugar and spice). Traditional cutlery is used and meal time traditions are observed. Entertainments are provided throughout the meal. There are also numerous craft shops where you can rent medieval costumes for the day, buy historic books, and imbibe freshly crushed apple cider. The Bors Hede is open year round, while the Village is open on weekends May-September. It is the perfect place to cast off your 21st century self and be a (medieval) queen or king for the day." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

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View Postcard for Camlann Medieval Village

Craig Walker

Google
Attended a wedding on 7/12 and had a wonderful time! The staff was highly entertaining. The Bors Hede restaurant was absolutely delightful. Food was hearty and the wine pairings were spot on. Worth the trip!

Priscila Cassou

Google
PLEASE, UPDATE THE HOURS ON GOOGLE MAPS! —- I’m a bit disappointed… This is the second time I’ve driven all the way there, only to find it closed. The first time was back in 2023 — I didn’t realize the season had ended, so that was on me. But this time, I checked the website and saw that there was an event listed for March 29th. I also double-checked the hours on Google Maps, which said it would be open from 12pm to 5pm. Based on that, I made plans to visit with my friend, who is visiting me from overseas… and once again, we arrived to find it closed. It was frustrating, especially since this is the second time I’ve tried to share this experience with my friend, and the second time we couldn’t even get in — despite the information online suggesting otherwise. I’m mainly writing this review in the hopes that someone will update the hours on Google Maps to avoid more confusion and disappointment for others. That said, I’m still really looking forward to finally visiting Camlann again — and when I do, I’ll be sure to update this review with a more positive experience! I can’t wait!! 🙌

Vaesen Pastry

Google
This is a very cool experience, know that this place is planning on getting only bigger, so I recommend checking it out every once and awhile! Their Gate Shop has things you can buy though they are mostly all handcrafted materials! The actors here are amazing and friendly, and this was such an educational experience. As well as singing in the meadows, watching performances from a wizard, doing magic, as well as each stall haver including a blacksmith, potter, and wood carver, not to mention the scribe, the shoe maker, the basket weaver, and the artisan, who I believe was making flower crowns! This is a cool fun experience, and if you're into period pieces esp those around 14th century, this is a cool place to go for interactive learning and celebration.

Bubbles

Google
This little hidden spot in history is worth the visit. It is completely run by volunteers so you won't know how many "villagers" will be around in this living museum to demonstrate life in the times. They offer monthly festivals May-Sept and feasts year round. The food is prepared mostly over a fire as would have been in the times and each little artisan works their skill in a fully self supporting village ( for the most part). The problem is it is a cash/check only which caught us by surprise for the entry fee and food at the Bors Hede restaurant, which is very authentic! I would love to see artisan work for sale at the bare gift store, but that requires more volunteers, because those that are working, are working for the village.

R N

Google
Visit was for a regular weekend village on a summer Sunday and it was really quiet and a few villagers present. The visit was very short since not a lot was happening. The entrance fee is $10 per person (including children) and cash only. I didn’t expect to pay so much since online reads “Admission $5.00 except for festivals” and was presented to us as a donation so be ready to pay. It seems like best time to visit is during a festival to really make it worth the trip and your money. We visited the restaurant and the beer was way better than the food so maybe just stick to beverages unless you just want the experience of eating soup, a few slices fruit & cheese and bread. We did try two desserts as well and we weren't entirely full. It was an interesting experience and probably won’t visit again, seems like a one time thing. I visited because of TikTok or else would have never known about it before, so maybe a festival is a better experience here.

Katrina Baros

Google
This is a fabulous experience, especially for a field trip! I took my 4th grade class here at the end of March. It was engaging from the first moments of our time there. The stations the kids rotated through were engaging and hands on. They learned new things, got to ask questions and just overall gained an appreciation for a taste of life from the middle ages. The communication and coordination was smooth and helpful all along the way. It was so well priced as well that it made it a very affordable, but very fun and exciting field trip for our class. I can’t recommend it enough!

Stacey Warren

Google
We went for the Midsomer Festival and feast and it was great! Young children would not find this entertaining and it is NOT a renaissance faire. It's a historical village and you get out of it what you put in. Interact with the villagers and you will learn a wealth of information. The feast was delicious as well and worth the price.

C C

Google
I had never heard about this place until earlier this year. My parents and I went for the Midsomer Festival and Feast, and it was an amazing experience! I am a university student working towards a history major, and the medieval period is my favorite time period, with 14th century England being my favorite century and location, so this was right up my alley. It was exactly as I had imagined it to be—historically accurate and authentic, with lots to do and see for entertainment, and overall it felt like I had time traveled to 1376! The food at the feast was very delicious, with my favorite dish being “Mylates of Pork” (a pork and cheese tart), and some other tasty dishes were “Stekys of Bef” (steaks with cinnamon-pepper sauce), “Cormarye” (roast pork in coriander sauce), “Aquapatys” (boiled garlic cloves) combined with “Blaunch Porre” (chicken, leeks, and onions), “Apulmus” (apple and almond milk pudding), and “Strawberye” (strawberry compote). It was unique and interesting to use the “trencher” bread as our plate, and it was a dining experience I have never really experienced, but certainly something I could get used to. We loved listening to the minstrel play his lute in between courses, and it was fun to explore the village and watch puppet shows, magic shows, archery, and the burning of the bonfire, as well as listening to medieval music (my favorite type of music). I am so glad to have discovered this place!
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Emily T.

Yelp
A underrated little gem of a spot just 30-40 minutes outside of Seattle. If you love seeing how things were made in the 13th century medieval times, this spot is for you! I truly felt like I travelled back in time. Things to know: Check their website for hours/events. We went on a Sunday to one of their summer village days which take place from 12pm - 5pm. Bring cash!! They only take cash or check, this also applies to their dining establishment Bors Hede. Interact and ask questions! It's a living history museum and the villagers are both knowledgeable and so friendly! Village Summer Day entrance fee: $5 We came in a group of 4 around 3pm and wish we had slightly a bit more time because they closed the gift shop before we were able to visit it! :( That's ok though. Don't forget to say hi to Mabel the sheep! So cute! We made reservations for 5:30pm after our Village Day but if you can just make it at 5pm it's better because you won't have to awkwardly wait in the closed village waiting for your turn to be called. Overall, we really enjoyed our experience here! Sir Rodger was so friendly and such an adorable soul! He was the one to welcome us, host us at Bors hede and he also manages the phone calls for reservations.

Natalie M.

Yelp
Great experiential community that really looks to cultivate knowledge and fun! If you are looking for a renaissance faire turkey leg this isn't your place - if you're looking for roasted goose or meat pie with fruit from the harvest then this is your place!
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Christina W.

Yelp
I came on a village day and it was definitely some abandoned creepy vibes. There was only another pair there at opening. We came right at noon and the illusion was already broken by a worker walking back and forth from their car getting ready. For $5/person, it's not bad but I wouldn't come again unless it was for a festival day. We first went to the inn to get food cause we were hungry. But, after standing there for 5 minutes listening to the sounds of them getting ready we decided to take a spin around. It's fairly small and there was only two people at their stations. One was the greeter who is the inn keeper, who told us about a typical cottage. Then we went to the carpenters hut where he tried to show us how to weave sticks but they kept falling apart. He didn't offer much information and when we asked questions, he answered pretty bluntly. We then went back to the inn where they were able to sit us to eat. Our server was pretty great at staying in character and it was a unique eating experience. My favorite was the cheese as a cheese fiend but everything else was just ok. My one real concern is that the table was definitely not wiped down before we sat down as there was a lot of crumbs everywhere. Then they put the bread slices ON the table. I did not eat the bread plates because of this. We also found a face mask under the table so slightly concerned about the health standards maintained. After our meal, we went back outside and a few more people showed up. The pottery lady was at her station so we listened to her talk, she was quite knowledgeable and entertaining. Then we went and pet the sheep Mable. She was the highlight of this place, so soft and friendly. They were setting up archery stuff but they said that we weren't allowed to try. We went to the gift shop and it was mainly books and some pottery. If you're not planning on eating, you don't need more than 30 minutes here on a village day. TLDR: Cool concept, cheap, an experience for sure, poorly organized/executed, food was ok but cleanliness made it concerning, Mable the sheep was the best thing there, and I wouldn't come back unless it was a festival day (maybe).

Jeff L.

Yelp
Just took a quick tour through the Camlann Medieval Village. Quite enjoyed the ambience of the surroundings. The villagers/volunteers we encountered greeted us warmly and were very informative. We were pressed for time so didn't get to relax and enjoy the 14th century life as much as we would have liked to. Next visit we'll plan when we have more time to take it all in.
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Chris D.

Yelp
This is not exactly what is promised, or appears to be promised on the website. Pay attention to the "may include" in the description because it's exactly that. For our visit, only 5 out of the 11 village demonstrations were provided. I guess if you're one of the village presenters that works there, you don't really need to show up for work if you don't want to, and you have no backup. Also, it's pretty weird that for the archery demo, the archers, in front of a whole crowd, who are also the scribe and potter, don't know a thing about how to string a bow. A simple thing I learned when I was 12 in Boy Scouts. And if you make a suggestion, they get mad. Very embarrassing for the whole organization when their expert presenters make fools of themselves in front of their audience of about 50 visitors. It wasn't a bad time, and it's really not very expensive, but then it isn't what they say on the website.
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Lizzy L.

Yelp
A hidden place but great for those who love history, medieval times, or just plain fantasy! The workers here role play and play along with the time period they represent which is super fun. Learned so many nice facts for my fantasy books that I had to write down. The food was pretty good too and the cider was delicious
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Alex J.

Yelp
As a history buff, my girlfriend and I made a trip up from Portland, we did not schedule a Blacksmithing class as we figured we would just be able to watch with admission. The staff finagled us in (would recommend scheduling to help them out) and we already knew they were genuine. The blacksmith working the forge shows everyone how to craft a multitude of tools, knives and decorative pieces. He was awesome, very helpful and a master at his craft. I highly recommend making a visit and drinking in what life was like almost 1000 years ago and beyond.
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Irene S.

Yelp
This is a specific kind of enjoyment. It's a living history museum of a fascinating time period. The people who work there appear to live their job and the time period. They are true to that period in their entertainment and food presentation as much as possible. My granddaughter and I enjoyed a festival and feast.
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Meghan R.

Yelp
We came for the sainte James faire in July. We arrived a little late in the day so didn't get to go in the restaurant but luckily there was a little stand next to it where we could still get a meat pie. It was really good! We spent about 2 hours walking around with a 9 year old and he enjoyed talking with all of the volunteers/actors. They were really good about answering his questions about the time period and their answers seemed pretty realistic. We shot the bow and arrow, made candles, watched the magician, and a music duo. I think his favorite was the blacksmith though. I definitely want to go back for the feast! Unfortunately we didn't plan enough in advance and it was already sold out. Make sure to bring cash!
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Michelle B.

Yelp
Love the vibes and view, 'twas a wonder of a time! My favorite of the food was this bread bowl with poppyseeds and raisins AND DONT FORGET THE MEED!!
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Marjorie L.

Yelp
The perfect day trip away from the busy work week. Went with some friends and stayed for the Michelmasse Feast and it was a great time! Everyone was super knowledgeable about their crafts. Super welcoming, my wife and I never felt out of place or uncomfortable. We will definitely be back with friends in the future!

May B.

Yelp
Do you have a seven year old who is desperate to use a real quill thanks to Harry Potter? I did! And this place made his little heart sing. We came here on one of the last weekends of the season. Non-festival days. We had no expectations.... And it was fantastic. There wasn't a lot going on, but what we saw was a lot of fun. The restaurant, as others have said, had potage and bread - a stew of root vegetables and spiced with fennel. We enjoyed it - especially my seven year old - but if that's not your thing, you were out of luck. The volunteers were a lot of fun. This place isn't Disney land, but definitely worth a visit.
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Wina G.

Yelp
We just attended the Yuletide feast. It was such a fun experience! I admit that I was a little leery of attending because of the negative yelp reviews but we had a totally different experience. First thing you need to order the tickets by mail (they do not take credit cards)- I recommend couple months ahead for Christmas Yuletide feast. They only have it on the weekends and the 45 seats fill up fast they say. We arrived at 5 pm to look around and rent medieval costumes for the ones that didn't have DIY costumes. $25 cash for adults/$10 for kids. Lots to choose from. Please dress up. The few that didn't stood out like sore thumbs. Roger the innkeeper and all of the servers were in character. So join the fun! Since we had to wait outside til the innkeeper called us in, we hung in the shop next door (unless you were dressed warmly). The innkeeper appeared promptly at 6pm-don't be late folks- and led us into the banquet hall which had a fire going. Got pretty toasty fast. We were seated at long tables, get friendly with your neighbors because it was a tight fit. After a few medieval Yuletide traditions and a toast of spiced wine, the feasting began. Our plates were large flat slices of bread (trenchers) and had a spoon and knife. Expect to use your hands. The "servants" brought out scented water to pour over our hands. We had 3 courses of 4 dishes each served family style so don't go pigging out if you're the first to be served cuz the people at the end won't be too happy if all they got was gravy! You won't go away hungry, really! Each course had a main dish- pork, salmon and roasted goose. And with every course, they served wine or spiced grape juice. And water. In between courses, we had medieval entertainment. The 3 hours passed by so quickly! However, I think it would be too long for young kids and babies. We were told we could take our trencher bread home but most of us were so full that we passed. We certainly didn't go home hungry. Some of guests were repeaters. Maybe we'll make it a tradition too. FYI- no cell phones or cameras in keeping with the medieval setting. We did take pictures outside and when the feast was over when people left. In all it was a fun nite- Roger and the serving maids were so charming. Only thing I'd suggest it that they light the entrance to the village more. It was so dark that lots of guests including us missed the entrance sign and had to turn around in the super dark 2 lane road.
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Angela B.

Yelp
Camlann is a living history museum. Lots to see & do. Entrance is $10 for adults. And you need to buy tokens (they have another name for them) in increments of $1, $5, and $10 for archery & other purchases. There is a blacksmith, musicians, puppet show, knights who joust (sp?), candle making, archery and more. The restaurant is a bit on the pricey side but amusing. Food was so-so. We had a ground beef dish with strawberries. Custard for dessert. Fruits & cheese for an app. Quite an entertaining medieval village!

Quinn W.

Yelp
This is an awesome place, but you have to come at the right time and with the right attitude. Village days are cheap and happen most summer weekends. They are low-key with not a lot of volunteers, but they have the benefit of giving you lots of time to chat with everyone and have some great in-depth conversations, and even try your hand at many of the traditional crafts yourself! If you are the sort of visitor who likes to ask questions, engage and learn on a deeper, more personal level, it's a great choice. Festivals are more lively and tend to be on par with the average person's expectations. If you're just looking for ambiance and a generally entertaining time, this is a the way to go. Basically it's a matter of whether you'd rather visit a museum or a fair. I think a lot of critical reviews are written by people going to one and expecting the other.
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Kathryn F.

Yelp
I could put on a better show in my yard. We went to the Michael masse festival. There were about 10 costumed workers. Each demonstrating a trade (wool dying, candle dipping). There were no quality wares for sale. There were none of the traditional performers calling out in olde English. No roasted turkey legs. A number of the buildings were falling down. There was all of one sheep in the entire village. Save your $10 and watch a Monty Python movie at home - it will be a way better time. I believe the 5star reviews are written by staff of the festival. Seriously.

L. S.

Yelp
Very underwhelming, absolutely nothing to see and worst part was the guy made us wear our masks even though state requirement was lifted we were vaccinated and there was no one else even there at noon. Only 4 stations represented from the time period and unless you were prepared to question each guide would have learned nothing except for the pottery person. No food service other than cottage cheese and fruit. Yuck! Our two teens were so bored and we must have spend not even 30 minutes because there was nothing to see, nothing to do. So if you like donating $5 per person for nothing to see here this is the place for you! Maybe it is better when a festival on but would never waste out time coming back. So disappointing.

Merry P.

Yelp
For starters the entry price was alright. However they didn't say that due to lack of staff , entertainment, dining was going to be very limited. On there advertisement they used the ad that was 3years old. When all was grand. Dining closed at 3pm. Everything was to be going till 5pm. All a big lie. They are willing to take your money and deliver nothing. No smiles from any staff members. Only one member said that maybe next season it might be better. The admission person didn't even offer a refund after I expressed my dissatisfaction. Wow. I will not ever recommend this place. So point being, don't go unless you are willing to waste a drive and money.
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L L.

Yelp
Unique and fun place! Great to take kids to learn nerdy historical medieval activities. They really do explain how they do things like make yarn wool. Pretty forest setting.
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Lorena D.

Yelp
We visited Camlann Village for their annual Yule Feast. You need to plan in advance to purchase tickets for the feasts because you can't purchase online with a credit card--you have to mail in a check and wait for them to confirm your reservation and mail your tickets. It was totally worth it though--great atmosphere, great food, wonderful entertainment, all representative of a 14th century English village. Do be aware that the parking lot is dark and muddy on a winter night. I gave them advance notice that I cannot have any gluten, and they did a wonderful job of accommodating me. Celiacs should be aware that meals are normally served on bread trenchers, and meals are served family style, so there's high risk of cross-contamination depending on where you're sitting and how careful your dining companions are. I didn't have any problems, and I enjoyed the experience enough to be willing to risk it again in the future!
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Kristine H.

Yelp
Renaissance festivals in Texas. I liked... no... I LOVED them as a kid. Big sprawling affairs with jousts and those freakishly sized turkey legs and fried ice cream and flower tiaras! What wasn't to love? I grew a little older and there were still jousts and flower tiaras but now there was mead and dashing men in period costume flirting unabashedly with women who strolled by. I had such fond memories of driving out to Plantersville or Waxahachie with friends or family and spending all day having a blast. And then I attended one a few years ago which was so phenomenally distasteful with their Philly cheesesteaks and nachos that it put me off the concept for a while. It was so blatantly tacky that after being there for an hour or so, I was damned ready to go. That big preface aside, what is Camlann and why should you care? Camlann is a living history museum project portraying rural England in the 14th century. Operated by Roger Shell and his wife, they wish to enrich the quality of our lives today by rediscovering facets worth keeping in modern times. Camlann doesn't possess a WABAC Machine but you'd be hard pressed to find soda pop or cheesy fairy wings sold here. Instead you will find delectable items crafted from recipes of the period. There are festivals throughout the year, banquets on medieval holidays, and also the Camlann Medieval Festival. Food is served year round at the Bors Hede Inne (opened in 1993) and with your meal, you will be serenaded while you eat. Call ahead for reservations, if you wish to eat at the Inne and remember that Roger only accepts cash or check. There's plenty of free parking and the location is serenely quiet. The innkeeper (Roger) greets you when you enter. If the temperature is cold enough, the massive fireplace will be lit filling the dining room with warmth. Scented water and linens are brought for your hands as you hear "what food the cook has on the fire for the evening meal." Don't fret, folks. This ain't no Medieval Times! The food is prepared from authentic 14th century recipes and your drinking options are usually wine, mead, ale or juice is served in pitchers for your drinking mazer. No Coke or Pepsi will be found here. A bread trencher is brought to serve as your plate and along with your fingers, a knife and spoon are your only utensils. The serving platters, drinking mazers and earthen pitchers were handmade by the craftsmen at Camlann which adds to the ambiance. We've taken guests there several times who'd appreciate the experience and they definitely did! Ordering a few of the main dishes is the best way to share among the group. The food has always been amazing and if I could have the recipe for the rastons* that arrive before the meal, I'd be truly happy! *small round loaves made from sweetened bread dough with egg. After baking the top was cut off and the crumb removed; the hollow shell was filled with finely chopped crumb mixed with butter, the top replaced and served hot. The ones served at the Inne are buttery with an exquisite mixture of spices - truly addictive!
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Carmell N.

Yelp
We were so excited to have a fun little family day as what is advertised as a "Medieval Festival"but we were so sadly disappointed. By no means is this a festival, I mean no jousting, no turkey legs, the place just felt very un-alive. After paying $27 to enter, we headed to the restaurant where this pushy old guy was trying to tell us we were not welcome to use the bathroom unless we were dining. Well of course we are trying to dine there, that's why we entered. The meal is never explained to you, you just blindly go in and hope for the best. Lunch was great for my husband and I but not very kid friendly. $45 later we had two full adults and two hungry kids. There is definitely some cool things to learn here but by no means would it qualify as a festival.

Melissa Z.

Yelp
Like earlier reviewer Carmell N, I was pretty disappointed. We went during the Harvest Festival weekend. They are open 12-5 and we were there from about 1-3. The website mentions minstrels, dancers, puppetry, crafts and craft presentations, and several 'villagers'. What we saw: Master Payne doing some sleight of hand tricks; some teenage singers accompanied by two stringed instruments, a guy who had a huge pile of cut wood for a roof (?), 4-5 people in costume who shot arrows at some hay bales in the tourney field, a woman spinning yarn from wool, and a woman in a small house. The smith and pottery shed would have been interesting but nobody was there. The scribe was not there but her mother was, but she said she didn't know much and was sorry about that. The loom would have been interesting but nobody was there to demonstrate or talk about it. There was a villager woman by a shed (dyeing wool?) near the tourney field but she was over by a tree and didn't seem connected to the shed at all. There was a woman selling leather pouches and other small items (herbs?) Maybe some staff or volunteers had called out sick that day. We walked into the restaurant and were unclear what to do. There was no sign about waiting to be seated and nobody at the 'hostess stand'. We weren't sure it was the restaurant but then we smelled food. We went in and found an empty spot but the villager/host came and rather brusquely told us that we needed to be seated in the lobby and wait. We did so. Several other parties came in and had the same confusion and we told them we were waiting, or the host happened to be there and talked to them. Not very welcoming overall - I mean I know it's not Canlis but -- a little help for your guests? If you have younger kids, know that the vegetable stew is not super kid friendly unless your kid is definitely into vegetable stews. We asked for two servings and figured we would share with our almost 5 year old. When the food arrived, it was one small bowl of the stew. I asked if that was two portions, and it was ($18). I think my kid can eat more than that by himself at dinner. Fortunately it came with a good size loaf of bread. There were 4 small chunks of cheese and 4 small slices of fruit. So don't go in this place super hungry if you do, expect to order extra portions. We did not do the festival feast so I don't know what that is like. There were not enough things to see here to justify the trip, in my opinion. I understand it's designed to be a slice of life in 1376 but it just seemed rather empty to us. Not sure I can recommend this place, sadly.
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Christine O.

Yelp
This is not a renaissance fair but a reenactment village. I've been here twice for two completely different things. I was first invited by a friend who was having a birthday. She rented out the lower hall and invited everyone she knew to her birthday feast. At first I was bit worried because Roger made a comment about only taking a little, but out came multiple courses. There was a fruit and cheese course, a vegetable course, pork loin, roasted chicken and some type of meat pie that I will never forget. I loved the meat pie. And the best of all I tried mead for the first time! There were times during the meal that Roger got up and played for us and told us about the history of his village. There were times when we were free to chat with our table mates. It was late at night and in the middle of winters so I vowed to come check out the village in warmer weather. August came and I went to their harvest festival. I loved walking around the little displays. It wasn't crowded and I felt I have a more intimate time with the stall workers. I watched a young lade apprentice to and older one. The old lady was teaching her how to made the clay pots. We got in the line of archery and my boyfriend got to shoot arrows with a long bow. I was too shy. Got to watch a blacksmith show us the process of how they made nails. And later we ate lunch. The lunch was a pricey fare for the amount you got I will say that. But the food tasted good. I wouldn't really call it a lunch more that a "tasting" but once again I really loved their cup of mead. So I was a little embarrassed cause the guy I brought had a big appetite and I'm sure he was still hungry afterward but was too polite to tell me. I would still like to go to one of their dinner feasts
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Lisa H.

Yelp
I went to Camlann Medieval Village yesterday (Sunday) with my 14 year old son. We spent about 1-1/2 hours walking around and talking with the villagers before our 5pm dinner at the Bors Hede Restaurant. We had a really delightful time. I am not a fan of crowds, so we chose to come to the village on just one of their regular "village days" and not a feast day. Not all of the villagers were present, but that was fine... just gives us another reason to go back another day. We were also only charged $5 each which is less than I was expecting, but I think that was because it was a lightly staffed day. But the ones who were there were delightful to talk with. They all know their craft very well and my son and I enjoyed being able to chat with them one-on-one. Here's who we chatted with: The woman at the wool shop - Everything was hands on and we were able to feel the different fleeces, fabrics, plus my son got to sit at the loom and press the foot pedals and see how it worked. The scribe - This shop was my favorite! The scribe showed us how she prepares goose feathers in to quills and also talked about how she makes different inks. She then showed us how to write with the quills and let us practice trying it out. She was a wealth of information and I could have stayed in her shop all day. She was also working on the most beautiful tiny calligraphy that she was writing with a quill made from a crow feather. The cook - She showed us the pottage (vegetable and grain stew) that she was cooking over an open fire in the kitchen. The basket maker - She was working on a reed basket and explained all about it, as well as a willow basket that she had sitting next to her that was already finished. The archer - This area was a little bit busier, so we didn't get to chat as much as we did with the others. But when it was my son's turn, the archery instructor showed him the proper way to use a long bow. There is a $2 charge, but because it was a slow day, she was letting people shoot 7 arrows. The blacksmith - another really nice villager and a great source of information. He was working on a knife, but also talked about everything from nails, to horseshoes, to weapons, to architecture. The indentured woman - Not a craftsperson, but she lives in a typical house as a contracted worker for an elderly man. She talked to us about the house, showed us the bed, and just talked about daily life. Roger the Hosteler - We then had dinner at the Bors Hede and Roger served us and entertained us with songs and music on his lute. He was very charming. We spent about 1-1/2 hours in the restaurant and had a very nice meal. We had a nice table to ourselves and shared an appetizer of Rastons (lovely warm bread dish with what I think were poppy seeds and currants). Then another small appetizer of cheese, fruit, greens and 2 little almond fritures. Then our main course where I had the fenberrie pie (yummy, but tart) and my son had the salmon with hazelnut sauce (he liked this a lot). There were also some buttered worts (sautéed greens) which were quite tasty. We each also had a big piece of trencher bread which was to be used as our plate. I also ordered some hard cider and my son had the muste (spiced juice). It was all quite tasty and very filling. They have dessert as well, but we were too full to order any. The bill for our food and drinks came to $52 and I thought that was quite reasonable for the amount of food we had, plus the nice entertainment with Roger's music. So all in all, we spent about 3 hours and had a very nice time. I definitely want to come back and would also like to try one of their festivals. My son also had a nice time and especially liked trying the long bow, writing with the goose quill, and pretty much all of the food!
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Stacy F.

Yelp
My daughter loves all things English so I thought this would be a fun adventure. It was a beautiful day and she enjoyed renting a costume, but many people were not in costume. I went during a festival and there was entertainment but not much of a village left. Sounds like it used to be a lot bigger. Main host guy was a little rude to people, but everyone else was great. We paid $45 for the feast and I went away full but it certainly wasn't worth the money. It was a nice enough day but we won't be going back.
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Jennifer A.

Yelp
Terrible!!!! We bought the Feast tickets and ran late so take part in the Festival... so no review there. You are crammed on a wood picnic bench shoulder to shoulder with the people next to you. VERY UNCOMFORTABLE after approx. 2.5 hours! Then a strange man comes out and cuts rounds of bread for you to use as your plate. Were his hands clean? I don't want to know??!?!?! He warns you not to eat the said bread- as you will have no plate. The heat was going up in the room and thirst was needing to be quenched- yet NOTHING to drink. Approx 30 minutes later the 1st course arrives-- One Shrimp; Two slices of apple, A spoonful of some nutty chicken/pork thing, some nasty egg tart thing and an 11th (Yes-- an 11th) of a side of salmon (most likely chum) and a few leaves of salad...... This was all passed from one person- with not many utensils and people were using their hands to get their food! 10 minutes later you are offered 5oz of Hard Cider or Spiced Juice... that's it..... 5oz!!!! I would have paid for a full glass??? Soon three people are singing and playing a guitar? Not festive in any way shape or form. The serving vessels are then cleared and 5oz of water is then served-- however he used one pitcher to fill 45 people and had to leave to refill it 6-8 times.... only 5oz allowed each... Then the 2nd course arrived after people were eating their bread plates. Nothing more to wash your hands with that you have been eating with.... and to top it off ... now you are expected to carve a GOOSE and take your 15th portion and pass on to the next person!!! NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THIS WAY!!! DISGUSTING!!!! 10 minutes into this course.. you are offer 5 oz of Ale (beer) or Spiced juice..... This course included brown creamy slop; cream creamy slop, 1 slice of pair and 2 cubes of cheese, 1 clove of boiled garlic and your bit of goose and a NASTY ball of gooey gingerbread!!! They then sang another song and dismissed us... I wanted to go hours ago..... We went home to have dinner... GROSS!!! Don't waste you time or money!
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Jessica L.

Yelp
Love this place. It is mellow. The food is actually excellent. Go on a festival day, rent a costume and have ye a good olde time, lords and ladies.
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Sharon A.

Yelp
As a birthday present to my December-born son, he and I attended the Yule Feast on December 27. This was our first visit to the Village but it won't be the last. Well, for one, I'd like to see the Village in the light of day and observe the crafters at work. But back to the only part I can review, the Yule Feast. This is not inexpensive but it is an Event and should be enjoyed as one--and I believe it's a good value for what you get. First we stopped by the costumer and for $25 per person we were dressed in beautiful period clothing. It's not required but it was fun to be truly immersed in the 14th century. And really, if you're going to go, why be a stick in the mud and insist on your regular Metalica t-shirt? (Ya, I'm talking about the teenager sitting across from me, one of only three people not in costume.) After we were dressed we entered The Bors Hede Inne and were guided to the Undercroft. Regular lunches and dinners are served in the main restaurant year round but feasts are held in the muralled, fireplace-warmed Undercroft. The first thing I noticed was the wonderful smell. Seriously, I was there for the experience and didn't really expect the food to taste as good as it did! I won't give away the whole menu but the pork roast with wild boar sauce was a particular favorite, as was the "Egredouce" (Sour & sweet beef and onions). Really, every single thing they served was tasty. And there was a troubadour (magician) and singing by the staff. Diners are sat side by side at a long table with benches and food is served family-style, take some and pass it on. I'm not sure whether it's best to be at the beginning of the line or the end. I was the first person to begin the serving and I was worried the people at the end wouldn't get enough so I just took a little. Then I see the people at the end had a huge serving and food left on the platter! (Hey, pass it back here, why dontcha? I thought, but didn't say) However after three courses of four dishes each, plus wine, I was quite full, even with tiny portions. Three and a half hours, start to finish, and $42 per person covers the feast, gratuity and the entertainment. I have certainly spent more and gotten less in my lifetime of dining. My son is already talking of getting the whole family to attend next year. It's an experience I'd highly recommend.
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Molly C.

Yelp
I and a friend road tripped up to Carnation, land of dairy cows, hoping to find something to do. We happened upon Camlann (thanks Google). Unfortunately, you need an ahead of time appointment, and they're only open Tues-Sun, from 5-8. So, anyway, we got a reservation for a different time, and after a day of hiking headed into the village, ready for some Medieval English food, whatever that meant. LOVED it. We were greeted by "Roger" who had the perfect accent, and period responses ready from the get-go. It seem as though they do big festivals, and although their restaurant is regularly open, we were the only customers. We were seated next to a warm fireplace with a real fire, and spot-on decor. We decided later we wanted to come back and explore the grounds when we had more time. The meal was thematic, and consisted of courses. For the price (about $20 each), we received 3 courses, as well as entertainment (Yes, "Roger" played the lute and sang). Before they fed us, Roger brought out linens for our hands, and scented water to wash away the dirt from our horses (thematic, remember?). He brought us the most delicious beverages (extra, but worth it). Friend had the hard cider, I had the (virgin) spiced juice of the grapes. The first course was this amazing crusty bread that was filled with some sort of herb butter and currants. Then came the second course, a fruit, cheese, and herb platter. We had pear and apple, with a 2 hunks of Medieval English cheeses (which we'll go with, since I can't recall the names), and this almond fritter thingie that was to DIE for. Think almond butter rolled up with a bit of flour and cooked. The herbs and greens had a light vinaigrette that was delicious. Now I need to talk about the Trenchers. Rather than giving silverware and plates, we were given Trenchers to "eat upon." Thus, the trencher, a large round crust of bread, WAS oet plate. We were down with edible dinnerware. Next we had our main course. Friend got the fish and fruit pot pie (I was jealous, handmade crust looked perfect-can't eat figs which were in the pie, so stared longingly, and might have whimpered a bit). I got the salmon in hazelnut sauce. Truthfully, the salmon was a bit overdone for me, but combined with the buttered worst, was able to consume it. Dessert was extra and we were so full, we passed. Although the spiced plums in cloves did sound delectable. I'd say we'll go back this summer and check out a festival. Perhaps we'll find some sort of Lancelot to join us for the next meal. Oh, and take cash or a checkbook. Roger doesn't take credit cards.
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Jen V.

Yelp
I love this place! Everyone that works/volunteers here takes it really seriously. The grounds are nice and there is enough to check out for an hour or two during festivals. Archery was my favorite activity, the sheep love to get some attention from visitors, and the Fletcher (I don't think he is always there) had a cool walk through of the different types of arrowheads. The restaurant has decent food and service. Stay for the quips about your 'strange modern items' and a light education on how dining was during the era. With that, you shouldn't expect them to have the same style service as a modern restaurant - they are more interested in role playing to than catering to your every need. I would recommend they lighten up on their drinking restrictions - the inn keep told us that you had to eat in order to be served mead or wine; we were with a large group and some of us had already eaten pastis from the outdoor food stand but were only able to order juice inside. Seems an unusual restriction considering it is a medieval theme, where I image the goblets were larger and more free flowing ;) Overall its a gem and definitely worth a visit!
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J C.

Yelp
Visited their Festival and Feast today. Tickets were $45 and had to be mailed in by check... They haven't discovered computers yet (Square, Paypal, etc). Why mail tickets when they can just be "Will Call" since you can't just show up unannounced. Odd... I've nothing noteworthy to say about the festival except don't bother. The little festival was not worth the drive out from Seattle for less than the most forgiving, die hard renaissance fan. Also, bring cash. The entry fee is not all inclusive and you're given no activity tokens (as few activities as there are) as part of entry. As for the meal, the timing was off all the way. They don't serve water outright. The first liquid (wine or grape juice) came out a good while after the first six dishes were hand-me-down distributed down the table, and half consumed. Thank god nobody choked. It's not like there's water to save em. No complains per say about the food except I have an odd feeling about calling one shrimp a 'course' and other such tiny winy portion sizes. Granted, I was full at the end but that plate of bread is there to fill the gap in portion sizes. There was no background music during each of the 2 rounds of food. There was a short song trailing the first round of food (of 2 rounds) and at the end right before we're basically told to leave. Otherwise, it's a basement with no ambient sound. Our plates 1/2 cuts of round bread wedges. I didn't mind that. It's quirky. The fun I had came from the fine company of my friends. I would think a few tweaks to their dinning experience would make the place more enjoyable: 1. Serve water. Offer refills of said water. 2. Background music. It's OK if it's from a speaker due to lack of a lute player mid-meal. Even better, have someone play an old tavern tune during the meal. 3. Take paypal or something. Writing checks is so 20th century. 4. Big one here. DON'T LIST THE FEAST @ 6PM ON YOUR WEB SITE AND EXPECT PEOPLE TO BE THERE AT 5PM! Overall the web site needs work. As a non-profit they should be able to rangle up someone from a college or university to work on that thing for cheap/free as a school project.
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Matthew P.

Yelp
Camlann Medieval Village is an interactive living history site about 45 minutes east of Seattle. It's located in a beautiful little spot in some woods tucked off the main road. One of the wonderful things about this place is that stepping onto the grounds you really do feel removed from the modern world. While there is room enough for maybe about a dozen crafters there the day I was there only a couple were their (it was the last day of their season and things were definitely winding down). Those who were there were very nice and approachable and knew their stuff about what they were doing. I also ate lunch at the 'inn' there. It was very simple but was very tasty. I was a bit disappointed that it was so quiet the day I went but I can't wait to go back sometime when they have a lot going on. Either way it was a nice place to get out of the city on a beautiful Sunday.
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Uncle Wiggley 1.

Yelp
THE FEAST I bought several feast tickets for 2 monthly feasts and I was really looking forward to this. Haha, a feast. I ordered linen period clothing from Europe and I was set. I ordered vegan meals which Roger said was fine. What he meant to say was, I will do nothing, and you can eat a piece of bread and that is how I will accommodate you. I called again and he said it was fine again. The day I showed up, I reminded him and he said it was all taken care of. At the feast I again asked because the food was being served and he acted like he never talked with me, yet they would make something up, which they did about an hour and a half after everyone had been eating. No water pitchers, water is only served once in your 5 ounce cup. Bring your own water if you need it. Now the vegan meal was a bowl with about 10 ounces of rice and almonds, not really a $45 meal, unless you count the Robin Hood song as being worth $35. Also not very filing, unless you think one small shrimp in the shell is filling. Now there were lots of obese and aggressive people there armed with pitchforks and hatchets (not really weapons however they were still going to have their drama). So the long bench seat is not big enough for 45 people, you know how greedy fat people don't care about you, stick your elbow in your eye and eat all the pie. This group of people sat around various places and took most of the food. You are expected to share a plate with 12 people or more. So if you are at the beginning of the 4 serving spots, good for you, however they dump all the plates in front of you and the table is too narrow to hold them, so Roger helps you out by simply passing them down the line so you get none. If you are at the end of 12, expect nothing. The big family in front of me refused to send any of the meat dishes along and Roger did nothing except say, he would take care of it, more lip service, he just disappeared and comes back to sing 2 songs and kick you out conveyor belt style. I received one almond baked mound that I could close my hand around and make it disappear. I received 2 green salad leaves with a total size of 2 square inches. A cup and a half of runny plum sauce was plenty because no one else wanted it. Cheese is a few 1" cheapie squares, about 6 for 12+ people, grapes, you might get 4 if you divided them equally. The problem is the trenchers, bread plates, soak up any liquids and become instantly soggy, so they contact the table cloth. You can't put much on the bread trencher plate, so you pass the food and it is gone. So what you ultimately get depends on where you sit, and how much your trencher can hold, definitely not all the items served even in a very small quantity, and it depends on the benevolence of the people before you. Roger spends about $3.50 maximum on food, at the very most, while you pay $35 ($10 to get in). What is most frustrating is people who gobble up all the food and pass you an empty plate. This is Roger the Dodgers plan, give you very little and let you complain about your neighbors. If plates of food came back down the line with something on them, ok, we have a chance, however plates stay at the end and even if they came back, folks would gobble up everything, even that 1" square broccoli floret that you paid for. The second feast I attended had nicer people, however the fat greedy ones were still there and they oversold the tickets and my butt was half off the bench, one cheek on, one off and very uncomfortable. I asked for a chair and Roger said that would interfere with the serving, however that was really his "stage" it would interfere with. Same vegan problem only one month later, same lip service, no delivery. Same songs, same uncaring attitude. Same soggy bread which is brown wonder bread, not traditional, no seeds, just soft sponge that won't hold the food or liquids, so you get to eat the table cloth along with your food. The bread gets cut in half so if you get the "upper crust" it is even softer and smaller and the edges are very thin, so food falls off easily. Roger did recommend if a few people take all the food, you do have your steak knives to get even, however since he was standing in front of me, I simply felt like using mine close at hand. If you think 12 people are going to share an ant's sized portion of food, forget it! If you even believe Roger for one minute, then you will learn quickly. THE PLACE Got there early and realized the place has had nothing repaired in 30 years, and I mean nothing. The buildings are facades on paper with a thin layer of concrete over them. Roger the owner has spared no expense in zero upkeep, he just milks a wooden cow. It has a lot of potential to be a fun event, and probably the giant mosquitoes have the most fun. How about buying a propane skeeter eater and wipe out the population? Roger the skinflint likes lip service, no heat, no repairs and all the craftspeople have unkind words about the "
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Heather M.

Yelp
For anyone saying/giving negative feedback: while I understand and respect your opinions (it's Yelp after all) I don't think you really understand what Camlann is trying to accomplish with their village. I also don't think you would have done well living in that time period.
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Christopher R.

Yelp
Not a Village like it was 13 years ago. Charged $42 to enter for a family of five. $1/3 archery shots. Watch a decent puppet show, a guy cutting wood, a blacksmith who likes to talk to his grown up friends instead of the kids and watch the fencing show. They also have one place for food that was minimal in portions, selections and overall appeal. No turkey legs or ANYTHING sold in carts like a traditional medieval faire. Minimal to no strolling people in character. The candler wasn't open at 12:30 on a Sunday with hours from noon-5pm. Goto to the Scottish Highland games up north. They respect the family and Childrens time and money. This place is NOTHING like it used to be.
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Jackie W.

Yelp
A step back in time and one of a kind experience. One must sloooooow down and spend a good bit of time here. Be prepared: credit cards are not accepted in medieval times. I brought two 9-year-olds and a 7-year-old. Where else could they participate in archery, fencing and lawn bowling? Fast food fair consisted of pasties, anise cookies , grape juice served in a bowl, and brown bread topped with a chunk of cheese, sausauge, grapes and celery. Master Payne entertained with tricks of ropes, rings, kerchiefs, swords....and a lot of humor. Reasonable pricing with some free offerings (i.e. fencing demonstrations/candle making.) A unique history lesson for young and old alike.
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Catsy H.

Yelp
This is my take and my husband's take on this village. We went on Saturday, August 25th, 2018. First, I must admit that after reading the reviews on Yelp, we were a little bit worried. We decided to avoid issues by dressing the part. We showed up early and waited for the place to open, and Roger came out and very kindly explained what we already knew, we were early and would have to wait. At the start of going inside, Roger played a horn, it was pretty impressive. My husband and I were hungry so we went first to eat at the Boar's Hede inn. Roger himself welcomed us and called us Lord and Lady and gave us the best seat in the house as we were first to enter. We got a wonderful window seat where we could watch the magician, as he was swallowing fire. It was IMPRESSIVE! We were given a delicious meal, we picked the meat pottage which had lots of veggies and meat and sauce and given trenchers, (which is bread NOT hamburger buns for those who claimed that). The bread is your plate, and we spooned pottage onto our bread and the sauce seeps into the bread and after you eat the bread. It tastes amazing by the way. Now, I must ask that if you go, get the mead. If you do not know what mead is, it is DELICIOUS beyond words. It is wine that is made of get this honey, instead of grapes. The taste cannot even be properly described as delicious doesn't even cut it. After, we were asked about dessert which I was like OH YES, and my husband chose a dessert that is a type of custard and I picked the pudding, (different consistency). We shared both desserts which were so good. Afterwards my husband went to use the privy (bathroom) and I waited for him. A man came up, and began speaking to Roger. I guess he had brought all of his sword play equipment. Roger was friendly but firm that they had attempted these things in the past, and people got crazy and problems resulted. So the rule is they do not do any sword play. The man argued and argued and Roger said he had spoken with the man on the phone, and told him than that this was not something he allowed. The man kept fighting and arguing with Roger. Roger kept his cool. I remembered the reviews here calling Roger a bully. He was not. I do not think he even has it in him to do so. This exchange was Roger staying calm, and the other man saying oh this won't cause problems, find us some grass away from other people so we can, etc. Honestly, I have an autistic child who is 13 and he is better behaved than this man was, and my son understands the word no. My husband came out and asked what was going on as this man was still flipping out on Roger, and I told him it was NOT Roger's fault and that the man over there was rude and disrespectful. Next, we went to the blacksmith area. They were great, explaining things about the village, telling us about their trade, showing and demonstrating, answering questions. It was really cool to see them doing these things. After, we moved on to a woman who was showing bows and arrows, and explaining how these were used, what they were for, she told us which arrows were used for hunting and why, which were used in battle, showing us the bows and explaining what made them good bows, etc. She also promised that later she would be setting up and we could take turns trying the bow for $2 for 4 flights! VERY good price. We moved on to a woman who was making beautiful hair wreaths with flowers and she had beautiful bags for sale, I purchased a beautiful coin purse with a mother fox and her baby fox on the bag, all hand made and leather. I wanted to purchase a purse too, but I did not have the $60 for it, but they were certainly worth the price, I just did not have that much to spend. She explained what she was doing and told us about her craft too. We met a man after that who told us all about the village, he was so good and knew what he was talking about. He explained how the people there live on the land and the land is actually the king's but the king protects them from raiders. He went into great detail. It was VERY interesting. We moved on to a garden area, and they explained what they grew and how they did it. After, we went on to the scribe's area, and we were given sheets that show how the letter back then are different and much more elegant. We took our hands at attempting to write the letters with quills and ink. They had books for sale in this area, and I was elated to find a cookbook with all of the amazing recipes from the village so I purchased that. We moved on to the place where they rent costumes, but they also have a woman making things, she was working a huge loom, and she was very happy to tell us all about the things she made and how. After, we were hungry again, and we grabbed a snack, a meat pastry and a cup of this drink they offered which was a grape juice with different spices. We watched the children sing, (a choir of sorts), shot arrows, etc. It was the best! I highly recommend this place!
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G. S.

Yelp
There's not really much here to look at. Even during the festival, I'd hoped there would be more going on. It's hugely disappointing. If you don't eat at the restaurant, you can finish the tour in 15 minutes. It's honestly not worth the drive.

Tamara L.

Yelp
We attended the Yule Feast on 12/22/2018 as a family Christmas event we hoped would become an annual tradition. It will not, mostly because all 5 of us were extremely uncomfortable the entire time. They seat you at one long continuous table with bench seating. That would have been fine, however they squeeze so many people in that we were barely able to move our arms to eat our food. None of us are large people either. While the meats were good, they only give you a tiny bit. Barely two bites each. The other portions of the meal (the pies, etc) were sat at one end of the tables and we were instructed to take only 1/11th (yes, 1/11th) and pass it down. If you're lucky enough to be at one of the ends you got some, but if you're in the middle or the end good luck getting more than a lick. What little food we did get was very good. Their website said they offer Ale, but they did not. Our son-in-law does not like wine, so he got nothing to drink except water out of a tiny bowl that looked like what we give our cat water in. The "live music" was just some off-key caterwauling. Three hours of this. None of us could wait till it was over and we could finally stand up and stretch out our legs and bodies from being so cramped up and squeezed in like sardines in a can. Sadly, as interesting as this sounded, it will not become our new Christmas event as not one of us enjoyed it.
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Amanda G.

Yelp
I so wanted to enjoy this experience, but Roger's (the proprietor's) bullying turned what would have been a lovely day into a very stressful one. I visited Camlann on a non-festival day with a small group of people. The area was quiet -- there were only 5 or 6 people in character on the grounds -- but, being a mostly introverted bunch, this was actually to our liking. We had made reservations at the Bors Hede Inne for dinner, and this was where the experience went to pot. I made the apparently *enormous* mistake of asking to be omitted from the hand cleaning prior to our meal, for reasons I'll not go into, which majorly freaked Roger out. Instead of respecting my "no, thank you," he belabored the exchange, repeatedly telling me how strange I was. Fine, I'm strange. After he finally realized he wasn't going to be bullying me into the floral water rinse, he left our table. When he returned for our order, he treated me like I was inconveniencing him when I ordered the Blamanger (which is on the online menu). This could have just been continued punishment for my earlier refusal, but who knows. I was again not trying to be difficult; my husband and I are vegan, and we had already refrained from eating quite a bit of the multi-course meal. Which we were fine with, don't get me wrong -- we were in it for the experience. However, I didn't think asking for the one vegetarian item would be the issue that it turned out to be. This whole exchange was very odd and not what I had expected, especially considering we were paying patrons, but I tried to let it go so we could just enjoy our meal. Still feeling odd about the earlier exchanges with Roger, I tried to avoid him on our way out. Unfortunately, he accosted me. I made the mistake of thinking that perhaps he was going to apologize for his earlier rudeness, so I actually stopped to listen. Such a mistake! I was instead again told how strange I am and that he should have refused to serve me and that I'm rude and what's wrong with me and on and on. I couldn't believe it. I told him, again, "fine, I'm strange," but I ultimately just had to walk away. It was incredibly unpleasant. And the fact that *I* was being called rude by a person demonstrating such unpleasant behavior?! Pretty unbelievable. I suppose as long as you're prepared to play along with Roger exactly as he wants you to, you should be fine. However, my husband and I will definitely not be returning to Camlann.

R M.

Yelp
I will never go back to this place! We recently attended the Yule Christmas dinner and I called up to ask if a member of our party's special dietary needs could be accomodated. I was assured that they could be accomodated without a problem. I was told that dishes made with butter could be made with olive oil instead. I was told that substitutions could be make for some of the dishes. Nothing was further from the truth! Food is served family style. For most items, a small bowl of food is provided and then passed along to approximately 12 other people. You are told to think of your neighbors when taking your serving so you don't get more than a spoonful of most items in order to make sure everyone gets some of each course. While the rest of us were served 12 courses, the member with special needs was served all of four courses. Keep in mind, however, she had to share these items with a DOZEN or so others so she didn't get much to eat. She went home famished! I wrote a letter to ask for a partial refund. It just didn't see right to be charged full price and be given such a small portion of food compared to everyone else even though I was assured they would accomodate her. Silly me for believing that meant she'd be provided with a reasonable amount of food. Roger from the organization called me up and said they don't give refunds. He then told me that this whole situation was OUR fault. First, he claimed she was given FIVE courses, then he claimed SIX, then he claimed she'd back one of the dishes (she didn't). Then he claimed she should have made a stink during the dinner (REALLY?). Then he blamed me for misunderstanding him. The conversation was pointless. Roger talked over me every time I started speaking. He was a bully in every sense of the word. He kept insisting that nothing was their fault. He seemed very focused on assigning blame and I kept pointing out that he wasn't letting me speak at all. He then blamed the member of our party for her special needs and said she couldn't expect to be accomodated! In looking back on the whole experience, it sure seems that they were eager to make promises to get you to spend your money more than they were interested in making sure patrons were satisfied. Perhaps because they are a non-profit, Camlann Village doesn't feel that treating a patron with respect and courtesy is a requirement. Instead, Roger was so concerned about being blamed and finding someone - ANYONE - to assign fault to that he wasn't interested in my concerns in the least. We only asked for a partial refund and I was treated like I was trying to rip them off. Well, this is a perfect example of winning the battle but losing the war. I have a charitable foundation that gives money to non-profits and you can be sure that not only will I never spend another cent in Camlann Village, I will tell all of my friends how we were treated. Go here at your own risk. This group isn't interested in being reasonable or fair or even listening to your concerns. Once they have your money, they couldn't care less if you were happy or not. We weren't grumbling that the food was bad. We just felt it was unfair to charge $45 for a few spoonfuls of broccoli, salad, and almond pudding while everyone else was given so much more. What a terrible taste this has left in our mouths. Roger, especially, was a rude, obnoxious bully who never once let me finish a full sentence before talking loudly over me. We will NOT be back!

NellieBly W.

Yelp
This review is of the Yuletide feast. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the food. The costumes we rented added to the experience. I was worried that there would not be enough food based on some of the reviews but we had plenty (sat on the end of the table). I hope to go back in the summer and see the rest of the village.
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Dan M.

Yelp
Not as fun as expected. Also, the dinner closed an hour earlier than posted times (and didn't have any meat anyways) - and when asked at the Inn they weren't very courteous about this. There were also non of the advertised food vendors outside of inn - and this was for the Mid Summer Festival. If you go, pay attention to event schedule. Firing a couple arrows for $1 was the highlight, along with the magician for the festival.

Mary M.

Yelp
We loved our day spent at the May Festival in Camlann Medieval Village. I read through some of the other reviews, and my feeling on the mixed ratings is that your experience all depends on what you're looking for going in. For our family (two parents and two grade-school children), we had an absolutely wonderful day. I want to start this review by saying thank you to the staff. Everyone we met, and interacted with, stayed true to their medieval forms, calling us m'lord and m'lady. My kids loved that, and even for me, it was very nice to be addressed like that! The Village itself is laid out in one big circle. There's an entrance where you pay (when we went it was $10 per adult and $6 per child, but I believe children under 5 or 6 are free), and from that entrance if you walk to the right, you can easily circle around the Village and not miss a thing. The only reason I docked one star is that the clothier shop was closed on the day we went. The number of people on staff is small, and I get that it was impossible at the time to find a replacement, but we were counting on that little shop to get the kids decked out. It would have been nice if there was a "member-at-large" on staff, to take over the spot of anyone who had to miss work, with full medieval disclosure such as "the regular serving woman/archer is handling a crop or livestock emergency at a neighboring village." Then we wouldn't have missed out. Three quick notes, then a summary of the awesome stuff. First, they only take cash or checks, so be prepared! Second, I agree with the reviews on the sheep. There were two, they were very dirty, and should be washed before Festival days, period. Third, the Village is small, but for us, it was the perfect size. That said, everything that was open and available was truly great. Follow your nose to the dining hall, and you'll find yourself back in time enjoying a meal fit for a king. The food was SUPERB. My daughter wanted to go back for dinner! We loved our meal so much we bought a cookbook. Ask the host if you'd like to purchase one. Please note, during Festivals they have the dining hall open first-come-first-served. We didn't wait long. If you want the Feast, those are in the evening, require reservations and a separate charge. My kids got to do the following: listen to an excellent period-appropriate musical performance and get to try out the hurdy gurdy (a mix between a guitar and accordion). They got to enjoy a DELICIOUS meal. They got to pump a giant bellows to aid in the live production of arrowheads at the blacksmith shop. They got to make candles, and purchase a nicely made small leather pouch. They got to shoot arrows at a hay bale target. They got to watch an amazingly funny magician, and even were picked to assist him! He had the whole audience in stitches -- I felt like I'd paid just to come to his performance, he was that good. They got to play chess with handmade pieces, toss horseshoes (really rings of rope), card wool from the aforementioned sheep, and finally they got to participate in the Maypole event, which was a fun twisting and turning adventure to braid those ribbons. Everything was so interactive, which was a huge plus. That's how the kids will remember it, by actually doing things. It was one of the most enjoyable outings we've ever done as a family. We lucked out with a beautiful, sunny day. And we feel very grateful to the villagers for all the heart and soul they put into offering an experience like this. Such a relaxing and bonding way to spend a Sunday.

Nunya L.

Yelp
I recently ran across a flyer from Camlann Village while cleaning a closet and I felt my blood pressure rise just seeing the name and remembering the HORRID AND TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE attending their Yule Feast. First, it's cash only. Upon arriving you have the choice of renting period clothing for the feast. I decided not to spend more money and at that point I had a bad feeling about Roger the owner. In attempting to have a conversation with him about the "medieval period" his answers were snide and curt and I suspected that he resented the fact that I didn't spend money on the clothing. It was a frigid night and we were told to wait outside to be led into the hall. It was a sold out dinner and there were 45 people in line for the "feast". Finally, we were led into a lower hall and the tables where arranged in a large U-shape for a family dining experience. The plates are a large hamburger bun cut in half. It's called Trencher Bread but it's just an oversized hamburger bun, and of course there are no utensils , which I didn't expect, and no water. Wine or water was served about 5 courses in. Now, when one sees the word FEAST, one makes the assumption that there is an abundance of food. The very definition of Feast "is participating in eating a huge meal in celebration of a joyous occasion". The menu looked wonderful and I was anxious for the culinary experience. The courses started coming out and there were two small sized bowls of each dish starting at both ends of the table and passed around until they meet in the middle. Roger warned everyone to only take a small spoonful so everyone could have a taste. Remember, this is to feed 45 people! Course after course came out, all the same. And then arrived a goose. One scrawny goose to serve 45 people. If you know anything about cooking, a typical goose will serve 4-6 people and there were 45 people here! I happened to be positioned at the table so that by the time bowls arrived to my seat, there was maybe a teaspoon or less left in each bowl and most of the people, including myself, didn't even get goose. Weighing what I just paid for this "feast" against what I was receiving or wasn't receiving, I quietly asked a server if I could get more food. The server went to Roger and he got up from his place at the table and stood in front of my table and in front of all the other diners, started yelling at me for asking for more food. I told him that by the time the bowls arrived at my end, there was nothing left, so he started berating the other diners for taking too much. He actually said, "I knew you were trouble the minute I saw you." It was surreal. Once this feast farce was over, I pulled Roger aside and told him he owed me an apology for yelling at me and embarrassing me in front of the other diners and he started yelling at me again! I couldn't believe it. He talked over me to the point that I realized that this man has some serious issues and I just needed to get out of there. Roger, is a rude, obnoxious bully who isn't interested in being reasonable, fair or listening. Once he has your money he couldn't care less about you. Not only will I never go here again, I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone. There are so many other medieval experience out there that are a thousand times better than this one. In the parking lot, almost every diner approached me and said they could not believe the way Roger humiliated and embarrassed me. They were appalled not only by his behavior but also by the lack of food. Several of us decided to go get pizza because we were starving. Go here at your own risk! Without a doubt the WORST experience I have ever had.

Sergey K.

Yelp
Very small village, but it gives a pretty good insight into Medieval time. The villagers are very adept in their crafts, which they can very assertively demonstrate - the swordsman, the carpenter, etc. They are also very knowledgeable about the life of the village as a whole, and about how their crafts fit into the life of the village. They are good actors and are playing their designated characters to create a convincing Medieval environment. I was surprised by the detailed knowledge shared by the villagers, and by the skillful demonstrations I saw there.

Daria M.

Yelp
My 12 yo son and I absolutely loved the place and planning on coming back for a feast day. The place is small and while we were there on a very slow day with only few villagers there we had an amazing time learning about practical sides of live in 14th century English village. Each person was very interactive and had a wealth of knowledge and hands on things to share. My son said that the dinner was a highlight of our week long vacation. To address some negative reviews - this place is not for everyone. This is not a renaissance fair, it's a living history village. If you have a picky eater child who will not touch anything without ketchup or shaped as a chicken nugget - plan on doing dinner somewhere else. If you are vegan, gluten free, have allergy to nuts or generally expect a wide selection of dishes - make dinner arrangements in the city. Board Hede is not a restaurant in a classic sense of a word. They are an establishment mimicking a 14th century roadside tavern serving dishes prepared by recipes of that era and cannot be adjusted to accommodate modern requirements. This is not a large commercial kitchen. For those who were complaining that the food was not good - again, know what you are signing up for. Cooking techniques and flavor profiles of that time were were different. If you want to try authentic - this is your place. If you want fantasy/Hollywood medieval food - check out any large renaissance fair for that.
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Meagan W.

Yelp
Have to say, it was fun, but VERY overpriced. Bring cash...they only take cash, and nothing on their posters indicated that. And the nickel and dime you for everything. I paid $5.00 for my daughter to take a two minute pony ride. A tad excessive. It's a cool place, but the prices are prohibitive for families.