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Families enjoy falconry fun, archery, axe throwing, arts and crafts and archaeology at Castle Park Heritage Day




Falcons soared and axes and arrows flew through the air at Castle Park Heritage Day in Bishop's Stortford on Saturday (April 15).

Families flocked to enjoy displays by birds of prey including a kestrel, a Harris hawk, a tawny owl, a barn owl, an Aplomado falcon and a peregrine X gyr X Barbary falcon hybrid.

As well as putting the birds through their paces during two flying sessions, the team from Coda Falconry answered questions about their feathered friends.

Dizzy the barn owl swoops above Sworder's Field
Dizzy the barn owl swoops above Sworder's Field

The free event from 10am to 3pm, organised by volunteers from the Friends of Castle Park, who led arts and crafts activities, also included children’s archaeology activities led by experts from Museum of London Archaeology, tours of the Waytemore Castle mound, medieval archery and axe throwing with On Targett Events.

Bishop’s Stortford Natural History Society and the town’s River Group also joined the event, which aimed to introduce the park and its history to the community.

The open space is currently being revamped by East Herts district and Bishop's Stortford town councils in a £3.5m project supported by a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.

PCSO Deb Mead takes time out to get a snap of Emily and Storm from Coda Falconry
PCSO Deb Mead takes time out to get a snap of Emily and Storm from Coda Falconry
Six-year-old Neel and sister Aashi, who is eight, show off the shields they made to protect the Waytemore Castle mound
Six-year-old Neel and sister Aashi, who is eight, show off the shields they made to protect the Waytemore Castle mound
Dizzy the barn owl is a crowd pleaser at Castle Park
Dizzy the barn owl is a crowd pleaser at Castle Park
Dizzy the barn owl entertains the crowds
Dizzy the barn owl entertains the crowds
CODA Falconry's Emily with Dizzy the barn owl. Pic: Vikki Lince
CODA Falconry's Emily with Dizzy the barn owl. Pic: Vikki Lince
Storm, a peregrine X gyr X Barbary falcon hybrid, looks pleased with his catch
Storm, a peregrine X gyr X Barbary falcon hybrid, looks pleased with his catch
Coda Falconry's Emily with Storm
Coda Falconry's Emily with Storm
Teo, an Aplomado falcon
Teo, an Aplomado falcon
Poppy, a Harris hawk
Poppy, a Harris hawk
Tawny owl Frost
Tawny owl Frost
Axe throwing instructor Graham Jones explains the finer points of the sport
Axe throwing instructor Graham Jones explains the finer points of the sport
Axe throwing Yvonne Cathrall hits the target
Axe throwing Yvonne Cathrall hits the target
Tasha Webster tries her hand at archery
Tasha Webster tries her hand at archery
Megan Webster gets some archery tips from Mark Bond of On Targett Events while dad Tim lines up a shot. Pic: Vikki Lince
Megan Webster gets some archery tips from Mark Bond of On Targett Events while dad Tim lines up a shot. Pic: Vikki Lince
Megan Webster poses proudly with her two bullseyes. Pic: Vikki Lince
Megan Webster poses proudly with her two bullseyes. Pic: Vikki Lince
Heritage Day visitors getting their axe together. Pic: Vikki Lince
Heritage Day visitors getting their axe together. Pic: Vikki Lince
Some of the Heritage Day crowd watching the CODA Falconry display. Pic: Vikki Lince
Some of the Heritage Day crowd watching the CODA Falconry display. Pic: Vikki Lince

* To feature in the Bishop's Stortford Independent, please send pictures from your event to newsdesk@stortfordindie.co.uk.



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