VikingVillage to return

A Viking Village which was a popular added attraction at County Durham visitor favourite Kynren is to be recreated for this summer’s epic event, while a huge new cast member is set to join in the show.

A giant horse – a very rare Knutsford Cosmopolitan breed – is a new arrival at Kynren’s outdoor site and the majestic grey shire, nicknamed Cosmo and standing almost 1.9m tall at its shoulder, could well be in its popular Viking invasion scene, although his main role will be to pull carriages during live action sequences as the story, called An Epic Tale of England, plays out.

The Viking Village, a previous preshow attraction at the Bishop Auckland site, will return in time for this summer’s run which will start in July.

The authentic recreation of a 9th Century village will feature a cookhouse, cottages, animals and a working blacksmith’s forge. Kynren audiences will be able to immerse themselves in the Viking world and soak up the atmosphere there before the main show gets under way. The award-winning theatrical spectacular will cover 2,000 years of English history.

Chief executive Anna Warnecke said: “The Viking Village provides a really immersive way for audiences to travel back in time and prepare themselves for the adventure to come. There will be the chance to talk and interact with the villagers as they go about their daily lives; visit the cookhouse; see them tend to the animals; prepare meals and watch the blacksmith at work in his forge producing real chainmail.”

The 90-minute show will run on Saturday nights from July 27 until September 14.