Hortus Bellicus - Stuart Age Gunners

Hortus Bellicus - The Stuart Age Gunners are portaying a band of mercenaries, a hardened bunch of men-at-arms including camp followers from the Thirty Years War on the continent (1618-1648). They are returning from campaigning in the German Lands seeking for new fortunes in Scotland during 1639.

We can furnish a historic place, house or castle with a small living history set-up. We do living history scenes and firing demonstrations to complement smaller or space limited venues.

We aim to bring 17th Century history alive by actively engaging the public with handling artifacts, by doing demonstration and holding talks. We specialize in events of the first half of the Caroline era (17th Century) leading up and including the period of the conflict between Covenanters and Royalists. In this conflict skilled gunners came often from the continent to be hired by both sides and as soldiers of fortunes the cause did not matter as long as the pay was right!