Spears of Andred

Welcome

We are the Spears of Andred - a group of Viking mercenaries, sailors, warriors, friends and companions, based in East Sussex in the ancient forest of Andredswood. We are a Herred of the Vikings and our membership has grown from a small Warrior's Council of 8 in 2014 to nearly 50 members today. We like to feast, sing songs, sail, boast of our achievements, but most of all train and fight. We put on shows all across Sussex and have members from Hastings and Eastbourne to London, Brighton and Lewes. We are friends and warriors first, all else then follows.

If you would like to find out more about re-enactment in the South East visit our web pages at spearsofandred.com

Fighting and Training with the Spears of Andred

Viking warfare is at the heart of what we do. In order to bring dark-age battles to life, safely and skilfully, we train regularly in a range of different arms and armour. From sword and shield, to spear and dane axe; archery, javelin and sling; the song of the shield wall and the discipline of the dark age warrior.

These skills we train for upon the Battlefield of Lewes at Landport Bottom on the South Downs every 2 weeks. Here we are training with some of our friends a few years back.

And here we are in 2018 lined up on the South Downs above the Saxon town of Lewes.

Then we put our skills to the test on the battlefield. Here we are in a boarsnout to break the enemy shield wall.

If you would like to come along to one of our sessions contact us for details or view directions under training at spearsofandred.com

Find Us in Sussex

We do like to get up to mischief in and around the counties of Sussex. Here we are mounting a defence of Cliffe Bridge in Lewes against an army of drummers and Morris dancers.

Here Vikings and Saxons clash in the Priory Ruins of Lewes. Raiding always brings out the best in our friends and we have been joined by warriors from the groups of Hwicce, Ulfhrafnar and Temesvik in order to raid this Saxon Burgh.

And here we are with our friends from many other Societies at the multi-period bash at Hever Castle in August 2017.

Meet the Spears

Here are some of the founders and first members of the Spears of Andred.

I am Taran, Chieftain and Jarl. A Celtic warrior from Mercia in the heart of Saxony, I lead our warriors and prefer to fight with sword or spear, but also delight in the use of javelin and sling.

I am Hefring Holgersdottir, without faith, Runekeeper and Thegn. I am a sailor from the Viking port of Svineborg. I followed the cormorant across Njord’s waves and I now fight with the Spears of the Andred’s wood. I wield the Langseax and shield or the Longbow, but am happiest when swinging my Daneaxe.

My name is Vaesel. I am Soothsayer and Drengr. Although born locally in the Saxon town of Hlaew, when I joined the group of mercenaries I found the Viking ways and beliefs far more to my taste. My preferred weapon is spear and shield, but I also enjoy using my axe.

Halvdan "horse eater" is my name, Chronicler, Ratatosk, reaver of souls for Odin's halls and ravisher of sheep. I tread a grisly path, soaked in the blood of the weak and those who would come foolishly against our Spears in the forest of Andred. Many have begged for mercy, none have lived, for my axe is a thirsty mistress. Go now and flee while you still have time.

You can learn more about the members of the Spears of Andred on The Group's Web Pages

History of the Group

The founding of the Spears of Andred was conceived by a band of close friends, Taran, Loka and Dave the Bow, at Alfred's Day in Oxfordshire on Sat 27th September 2014 and made a reality by a few founding members later that year under the rule of King Hrothgar. Here we are reunited at the Battle of Hastings 1 year after our founding.

Here we are celebrating our 1 year birthday in 2015. All good birthdays require cake and this beauty was crafted by our Master of Yoghurts Vaesel.

Here we are with King Hrothgar at Hastings 2016, celebrating words of our deeds in the local publication VivaLewes

Here we are the morning after the Society Banquet March 2018 when we were promoted by King Hrothgar to a Herred of the Vikings.

In August 2021, at the Thing of Delapre Abbey, the Spears of Andred were awarded The George Hay Trophy for Herred of the Year (2019).

At the Society Banquet on 16th March 2024 in Amounderness in the tenth year since our founding we were awarded the Thorgrim Sigmundsson award for the best combat group of 2023.

If you would like to learn more of the History of the Spears of Andred and read about what we do please review our Chronicle on the Group Web Page

We have continued to this day with the spirit of our founding: "Friends and warriors first, all else then follows".

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