MEDIEVAL knights, Roundheads and Cavaliers, Home Guard soldiers and even the units from Wellington's army preparing for the Battle of Waterloo can be seen at a variety of special events over the next few months at Chiltern Open Air Museum.

Our summer season is packed with exciting re-enactments and traditional craft activities for families during the summer holidays.

Over this Bank Holiday weekend Chesham-based group the Lion Rampant will be offering a medieval spectacular entertainment from tomorrow to Monday, May 30.

Lion Rampant portray medieval life from around 1300 to 1450 with a variety of characters from the nobility to the peasantry. Among the exciting displays will be archery contests and a tournament involving knights and squires in training.

All of the armour and weaponry used are replicas based on original artefacts and the freestyle fights during the tournament are extremely impressive. There will also be more gentle pastimes demonstrated through displays of original dances researched from the period and performances of medieval songs.

During the day, the St Jude's Jugglers will entertain the crowds with fire eating and breathing, as well as amazing feats of club and knife juggling. If you miss this weekend, the Lion Rampant return in the middle of the summer holidays on August 20 and 21.

Visitors over the weekend will also be able to view the newly-completed thatched roof of the museum's medieval barn from Arborfield. The roof has been recently rethatched using medieval thatching techniques and the work has been sponsored by Lafarge Aggregates Ltd through Groundwork Hertfordshire as part of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

On the Sunday and Monday of the weekend there will be thatching tours to explain this unique project and visitors will be able to try their hand at medieval farming techniques in the barn.

On June 25 and 26 the Civil War comes to Buckinghamshire. Members of the Sealed Knot Civil War Re-enactment Group will be demonstrating a Sutlers' Camp among the museum buildings to show visitors the range of trades involved in supporting an army in this period. Each afternoon many of the re-enactors will be taking part in a spectacular skirmish from the Civil War period.

Wellington's Army return to the museum on July 30 and 31, at the beginning of the summer holidays, to demonstrate the range of different soldiery involved in the preparations for the Battle of Waterloo.

Fans of the television series Sharpe will recognise the 95th Rifles and their famous green jackets, as well as the Royal Horse Artillery with their rocket and light infantry.

Local Victorian Living Social History Group visit the museum the following weekend, on August 6 and 7, to interpret the museum's Victorian buildings and will be preparing and cooking household meals in the Leagrave Cottages and the High Wycombe Toll House.

There is a wartime theme in mid-August with our 1940s weekend on August 13 and 14.

The Home Front Friends present a range of 1940s characters such as the Home Guard carrying out their drill, land army girls doing traditional farm work and outdoor cooking demonstrations, all centred around our 1940s prefab from Amersham. Younger visitors will have the chance to take part in make do and mend toy making workshops to learn about children's games in the 1940s.

Throughout the summer holidays, on each weekday, there will be themed activities for all the family including butter making, brick making, medieval farming and straw plaiting.

The details of the daily activity on offer will be available from the museum office on 01494 871117 just before the beginning of the summer holidays.

For five to 12-year-old children, there is a summer holiday club called Arborfield Adventurers offering a week of half-day programmes for children on a Victorian theme including crafts from the past and a time trail. Further information and booking details for Arborfield Adventurers are available from the education office on 01494 875542.

The Museum, at Newland Park, Gorelands Lane, is open daily until October 28 and is signposted off the A413 at Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter, and from Maple Cross (close to Junction 17 of the M25). For more information, visit the website at www.coam.org.uk or telephone the information line on 01494 872163.