The Medieval People

I've been reading an interesting book on America history with a rather unique perspective titled Fantasyland and today I came across a reference and description of the Society For Creative Anachronism. During the first two years I lived in the house on Seymour Street that had belonged to my Keegan relatives we had people living next door from that group. I had never heard of that group and we just referred to our neighbors as The Medieval People.

Later on I would learn more about the group but in 1974-75 I thought they were weirdly crazy medieval reenactors. The group next door was part of an international organization dedicated to the research and re-creation of pre-17th Century European culture, arts, skills, combat, history and activities of the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. Apparently there were groups of these people all over the country and we had them next door.

There were four people living in the house all the time although lots of other people were always coming and going. Most of the time around the house and backyard they were dressed in medieval garb. The main guy was a geology professor at Penn and he was called Bishop Bob. His wife was just known as The Lady. They had other names but that is how we knew them. There was another guy who lived there and did all the household chores, cutting the grass, shoveling snow, etc. We just called him The Serf. Up on the third floor lived The Wizard. I can't remember his name now but he was the only one of the group that I was somewhat friends with. A few times I went up to his room to hang out and smoke pot. He had a large collection of magic stuff. 

Sometimes people would come over and they would be in the backyard practicing sword fights. Then they would all eat some really foul smelling gruel.  We sat in our backyard drinking beer and watching all the craziness in amazement.

Eventually they moved out and Ernie, his wife who only stayed with him about a year, and his dog Prince moved in. Many years later after I was gone from Seymour Street that place became a crack house and then eventually burned down. It's an empty lot today.