Sunday 2 October 2016

A HISTORY OF THE CANTONS OF CAER DRAETH, SWANS KEEP, AND BEREMERE

The Canton of Caer Draeth was inaugurated in approximately 1978 and was based at the Curling Club in Cookstown.  Events were held at least once a year, most notably a Spring event, to shake off the heavy dormancy of winter.  In 2008, the year that Ealdormere celebrated ten years as a kingdom, Caer Draeth celebrated its 30th anniversary with a Spring Tune Up event which included a feast of 30 dishes prepared for 90 feasters.

A group of members of Caer Draeth, who actually resided in the Penetanguishene-Midland area, decided to form their own group closer to home, so the Incipient Canton of Swans Keep was born at a Christmas pot luck in December 2002 with the first actual meeting being held in the Midland Library with long time SCAdian, Miriel (Yvonne Mitchell) as Seneschal. Meetings were subsequently moved to the Real Canadian Superstore (originally Zehrs) free kitchen teaching space and THL Augustyn (Nick West) became Seneschal. Work was done to get approval for the name of Swans Deep, which reflected the Trumpeter Swans that were indigenous to the area and were in the process of being reintroduced at Wye Marsh, as well as the deep harbours in the area. That didn't pass, so Swans Keep was subsequently submitted, and was approved in 2004.

Swans Keep grew and flourished, having regular A and S classes and annual demonstrations. We held our first event, a weekend camping event in June of 2009, sponsored by the Canton of Petrea Thule. Saturday's fighting activities were completely rained out but the archery activities took place and much fun was had, including celebrating the 40th birthday of its then Seneschal, THLord Augustyn, and a bardic circle after the rain ended late in the afternoon. Subsequently, events entitled St. Valentine's Day Massacre were held very successfully in February for four years, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, until the vast warehouse space was no longer available to us.

In approximately, 2010, Swans Keep lost its free meeting space at the Real Canadian Superstore in Midland and began meeting in Barrie at a free warehouse location, being the workplace of one of its members.  Caer Draeth also lost its free space in Cookstown and was invited to share the free space in Barrie for their own meetings on alternate weeks to ours, as well as being invited to join in our fighting, archery, and thrown weapons practices. Subsequently, the two groups decided to combine forces as long as a new name and identity was chosen, with Caer Draeth being the name being used until replaced.

In 2013, the new combined group (awaiting its new name) also lost its free space in Barrie and began meeting regularly at the home of its then Seneschal, Lord Connal, until such time as an appropriate public meeting space could be secured. 

After four years of discussion, suggestions, submissionsand and returns, the new name of Beremere was submitted in 2014 and was subsequently approved by the College of Heralds. Time and effort have also been expended submitting and discussing new heraldry for our new name.

As of January 2015, we began meeting weekly at Grove Street Public School for fight practices and A&S classes alternating biweekly. (Some exceptions apply, please see calendar).

Our bid to hold Crown Tournament in October of 2015 was accepted and the event was held successfully in the small town of Ivy south west of Barrie.

Finally, in February 2016, with our new name and device approved, the name of The Canton of Beremere was revealed at the court of Winter War in London.


THLady Anne of Saffron Walden 



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