The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Battle lines drawn at Scone Palace
Warriors from around the world will clash in spectacular contest
Hundreds of knights from around the world are getting ready to rumble at Game of Thrones-style clashes in Perthshire.
The historic crowning place of Scottish kings will ring out with the sound of clanging steel this summer, as more than 500 armoured warriors compete in the International Medieval Combat Federation (IMCF) World Championships.
Scone Palace will welcome around 25,000 spectators for the full-blooded spectacle next month. It is the first time the games, using real swords, axes and maces, has been held in the UK.
The four-day contest will feature fullcontact medieval battles, duelling, team fights and archery.
At the weekend the palace’s Lord and Lady Mansfield were joined by local dignitaries, including Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Provost Dennis Melloy, at a team draw ceremony beside the replica Stone of Destiny on Moot Hill.
William Murray, Viscount Stormont, the son of Lord and Lady Mansfield, offered to host the 2018 championships after meeting several American and Canadian fighters, as well as the IMCF vice-president, in New York.
“It was quite the spectacle, like watching boxing in armour,” he said. “It was hugely entertaining to watch and not for the faint-hearted.”
A taster event was held at Scone Palace last summer, featuring some genuinely bloody moments. One injured competitor was stretchered away by paramedics, while another needed treatment for a facial injury.
Knights from China, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico and America, as well as from across Europe, will be among those taking part next month.
Scott Miller, chairman of the Scottish Knight League, said: “When the championships were staged in other smaller countries like Portugal and Denmark, there was an amazing surge of interest.
“We’re sure the same thing will happen here.”
The father-of-three, from Shetland, became interested in the sport after seeing a video while undergoing therapy for combat stress a few years back.
“The armour is authentic, just as medieval knights would have worn,” he said.
“It has to be tailor-made to fit perfectly. A full set costs anything from £1,000 to £4,000.”
During bouts, visors are kept down to help protect competitors.
The championships run at Scone Palace from May 10 to 13.
Stephen Brannigan, head of house opening at the palace, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting this event.
“It will be like stepping into another time.”