Warwick Pageant
In 1905 the Warwick town authorities had approached Louis N. Parker (see below) and asked him to “add another triumph” to that which he had achieved with the Sherborne Pageant in Dorset,[2] even though that one only used 820 performers.
Forty amateur artists painted copies of mediaeval banners for Churches and Guilds, in addition to producing elaborate designs on materials for costumes.
It was designed to be “in one gentle slope at an angle that collects the sound waves and delivers them distinctly to the very back of the stand, which is 280 feet long”.
Louis N. Parker explained what inspired him: In arranging the Warwick Pageant I have clung as closely as the exigencies of time and space would allow to history and tradition.
I have also taken hints from “The Rowl of Master John Rows of Warrewyk” and I am acquainted with Dugdale, Field, Smith, Rivington, Burgess and a number of minor pamphlets.
Shots of Warwick Castle and the grounds showing the rope ferry in operation and the Old Mill and weir (32-173): Episode 1; a procession of Druids round an altar (174-219): the priests light the sacrificial fires (259): a child is seized and walled in under the altar (287): King Carodoc orders his release (305): a battle between Romans and Britons (308): King Caradoc is taken prisoner by the Romans (363): Episode 2; The Bear and Ragged Staff: The Britons enter with Arthal and Movid leading a bear and a tree trunk (366-406): Episode 3; Ethelfleda AD 906: Queen Ethelfleda arrives with a number of captive Danes (411-461): Episode 4; Guy of Warwick AD 920: Guy returns to Phyllida and tells her he has slain the Dun Cow (464-488): the Dun Cow's head is brought in, Guy and Phyllida are betrothed and led in triumph to church (529): Episode 5; Roger de Newburgh AD 1123: Roger returns with the Templar Knights and surprises Lady Gunrada playing with her Maids of Honour (535-553): Episode 6; Based on Scenes from Marlowe's "Edward II" - PIERS GAVESTON AD 1312: Gaveston is created Lord High Chamberlain by the King (563-594): the Bishop of Coventry enters and is degraded by Gaveston (634): Gaveston is seized as a disturber of the peace (653): he is tried by his peers (679): he is led off by the executioner (684): Episode 7; The Kingmaker (Shakespeare AD 1464): King Louis of France receives Queen Margaret, Warwick who is present hears the news of King Edward's marriage (690-719): Louis and his retinue depart (759): Warwick, having returned, seizes Edward (782): Episode 8; The Charters AD 1564: the Charter being given to Warwick School (788-817): Ambrose Dudley arrives (830): Episode 9: The Nine Days Queen AD 1533: Thomas Fisher is condemned to death for treason, but is saved by Dame Fisher who falls on his breast as the soldiers are about to fire; the captain of the soldiers frees them both (836-844): Reel 2: Episode 10; Elizabeth AD 1572: a scrivener is put in the stocks (849-867): a meeting of councillors at Stratford (875): a procession with the Earl of Leycester (923): Queen Elizabeth arrives at Warwick Castle (940): Leycester kisses her hand (973): the Queen holds court (1010): the boys of King's County School, Warwick cheer the Queen (1020): boys and girls perform a pastoral dance before the Queen (1100): the Queen leaves for the island in the Avon by barge (1174): the Queen returns and disembarks (1307): The March Past: all the characters in the pageant form a procession and march past the camera (1312–1585) The End (1588).
His first Pageant was held in the grounds of Sherborne Castle, in 1905, to celebrate “1,200 years of the town, the bishopric and the school”, followed by Warwick in 1906 and Bury St Edmunds in 1907.
