History of Settmour Swamp
Part II (1982 - 1989)
Written February 1989
By Baroness Ursula of North Woods
(formerly Territorial Baroness, Settmour Swamp)
On August 6, 1989, the SWAMP will be TEN YEARS OLD!!!
My first history of the Swamp, covering August 1979 - early 1982, started "Unbelievable as it may seem, I have been Baroness for an entire year and thought I would like to tell you how this all began...."
Well, unbelievable as it may seem, I stepped down as Baroness of Settmour Swamp nearly three years ago and thought I would like to tell you how the Swamp survived any number of potentially fatal threats and prospered despite internal strife and power struggles, conflicts with the mundane world, and battles over what the Swamp (and the SCA) "should" be.
If anyone would like to write up a history of a favorite event or details of how a household was organized or even juicy gossip on some of the really nasty "hissy-fits" thrown by past officers I'll include them in the compiled Swamp history. [Send them to the webmaster and they will be forwarded to Ursula.]
I thought I'd start with a brief overview of important events in Swamp history and then let you read that first history written over 6 years ago. I plan to pick up the tale in early 1982 where the first history left off and continue THE HISTORY OF THE BARONY OF SETTMOUR SWAMP....
(Note: The following is a bare bones outline of key events in Swamp history. I tried to capture "firsts" i.e. when things started; how and why things happened are elaborated upon in the history itself. If any Baronial awards were missed, please send a correction!!!)
| August 6 1979 | First meeting of what would become Settmour Swamp:
Aleksondra, Sigmundr Ulvr, Ursula, Aeginold, Frieden,
Magda, Elysende & Gershom among those at the first meeting; Ursula becomes first Seneschale |
| August 1979 | Ursula chronicles 1st issue of newsletter (Mudpuppy) |
| August 1979 | Pennsic - tiny SWAMP camps at the crossroads (still do 2/89) |
| October 6 1979 | The Incipient Shire of Settmour Swamp hosts the Coronation of Visevald & Embla (Eva) |
| November 1979 | Frieden becomes first Knight Marshal; Magda becomes first Mistress of Arts; Newsletter named "The Mudpuppy" |
| December 1979 | Hrymgnar becomes first Captain of Archers; Elysende becomes first Mistress of Lists |
| January 1980 | The SHIRE of Settmour Swamp officially invested |
| March 1 1980 | First MUDTHAW ( WIZ-OFF magician's contest ) |
| April 1980 | Gwenyth makes the Swamp's large leaning tower banner |
| Spring 1980 | Aeginold become first Master of Sciences |
| June 1980 | Gwenyth becomes 2nd Chronicler |
| August 1980 | Pennsic again |
| September 1980 | First meeting of Incipient Canton of Pavonia (Gryphonwald): Coinneach, Emrys, Brighid, Eligor, and Beatrice among those present; Emrys chosen acting Seneschal |
| October 1980 | Aleksondra calligraphed our petition for status of Barony; Ursula writes documentation for advancement to Barony |
| October 1980 | Swampies help Carillion with Camelot demo in Atlantic City |
| November 1 1980 | First Amber Kirn at the graduate hall in Princeton Univ.: First theater, "THE HOT IRON" (Ursula still rehearsing 2/89) |
| December 1980 | Aleksondra's first Heraldry article (still writing 2/89) |
| February 1981 | Gryphonwald elects Brother Eligor first Seneschal |
| April 4 1981 | The Shire of Settmour Swamp hosts the first Coronation
of Siegfried & Wanda King Siegfried & Queen Wanda grant Baronial Status to Settmour Swamp; Magda z Stalburg invested as the Swamp's founding Baroness; Gwenyth given AoAs by both Gavin and Sigfried; First Swamp event for Eirik, Merlynia, Lydia (Tuchux knife fighting to music!) |
| Spring 1981 | Gryphonwald an official Canton of the Barony of Settmour Swamp |
| May 23 1981 | Merlynia becomes Mistress of Arts; Lydia becomes Exchequer; Berudta becomes first Baronial Champion |
| July 25 1981 | Gallantry Tourney (Gwenyth) |
| August 1981 | Pennsic - Gwenyth serves as Camp Mommy |
| Sept. 12 1981 | First Flight - Gryphonwald - Cheesequake (Eligor) |
| Sept. 26 1981 | First Peasant's Feast (Gwenyth) Schooley's Mountain |
| October 10 1981 | First Oriental Feast - Bhakail (Geoffrey d' Courville) |
| October 31 1981 | Second Amber Kirn: Swamp ladies dance for visiting Tuchux (Deathshadow); Wedding of Emrys & Brighid (first SWAMP wedding); Swamp's Anthem, "God Bless Our Noble Swamp" written |
| November 1981 | Baroness Magda z Stalburg moves to Virginia |
| December 1981 | Merlynia's Angel with Sword Mudpuppy cover (still draws 2/89) |
| January 1982 | Ursula awarded a SILVER CRESCENT by TRH Aelfwine & Arastorm |
| January 30 1982 | Ursula invested as Baroness at Bellringer's in Carillion |
| February 1982 | Elysende becomes second Seneschale |
| February 6 1982 | Beatrice becomes second Seneschale of Gryphonwald |
| March 6 1982 | Second MUDTHAW - Schooley's Mountain: Sir Sigfried, Sir Strykar, Deathshadow & Sparrowhawk attend; Elysende awarded first SILVER TOWER |
| May 1 1982 | Tuchux Were Hunt - Pennsylvania (Gwenyth, Berudta & Elysende) |
| June/July 1982 | Baroness Ursula abducted by Carillion / WAR with Carillion; Coinneach wins second Baronial Championship Tourney |
| June 19-20 1982 | Gallantry Tourney (Gwenyth) Cheesequake Park |
| July 9 1982 | Swan's Upping Faire (Embla (Eva)): Bronwyn receives BRONZE
TOWER; Wedding of Genvieve Durann & Alaric an Cluin |
| 1981/1982 Activities | Fighting Practice, Clothier's Guild, Dance Practice, Stomps, Theater Guild, Cook's Guild, Belly Dancing |
| August 1982 | Merlynia & Lydia make large "Settmour Swamp" banner for WAR |
| August 7 1982 | STOMP at Ellwyn's, Retep's first Stomp, Swimming Pool |
| August 1982 | Pennsic - Gwenyth serves as Camp Mommy |
| Sept. 1982 | Christopher begins Dance Class (still teaching 2/89) |
| Sept. 19 1982 | Second Peasant feast (Gwenyth) Schooley's Mountain Fire Hall: Gwenyth awarded second SILVER TOWER; Eirik Rodbjorn wins best peasant garb |
| October 23 1982 | A Bazaar Day & Arabian Nite - Gryphonwald (Beatrice): Bad Heraldry Contest |
| November 1982 | Master Christopher & Baroness Ursula become third Chroniclers |
| January 1983 | Oberon makes the Great Seal of the Barony of Settmour Swamp; Ursula writes the History of Settmour Swamp - Part 1 |
| February 1983 | Roman-British Festival (Merlynia): Naughty bits of Lysistrata performed; Gwenyth & Merlynia create subtlety of "Bodica taking London" |
| March 26 1983 | Third MUDTHAW (Lydia): Merlynia awarded third SILVER TOWER; BRONZE TOWERS: Coinneach, Beatrice, Alexsondra & Sigmundr |
| April 16 1983 | Italian Renaissance Feast - Gryphonwald (Megan & Tygger) |
| May 28-29 1983 | First Quest of Wit & Wisdom, (Gwenyth) Dodd's Sheep pasture: Frieden & Eirik become third Baronial Champions |
| July 1983 | Coinneach becomes Knight Marshal (still marshalling 2/89) |
| August 1983 | Pennsic - Euan invades with "Moose! Moose! I want a Moose!" |
| September 1983 | Carillion's first Lakewood Renaissance Faire; Gershom takes his Ph.D. oral exam wearing a SWAMP tabard!!! |
| October 1983 | Amberle becomes fourth Chronicler |
| October 8 1983 | Coronation of Viktor & Sedalia (Embla (Eva)) |
| ????????? 1983 | Tennequay third Seneschal of Gryphonwald |
| November 1983 | Dylan draws his first Mudpuppy cover (still drawing 2/89) |
| December 1983 | Retep's first article on Heraldry (still screaming 2/89) |
| January 1984 | Alexander autocrats Swamp Twelfth Night: Oberon gets BRONZE TOWER; Elysende steps down as Seneschale |
| January 1984 | Officer's meeting confirms Ursula as Baroness; Alexander appointed temporary Seneschal |
| Feb. 11 1984 | Feast of Saint Valentine - Gryphonwald (Burn the Heretic!) Stephan the Black killed for the first time by Dylan |
| March 31 1984 | Fourth MUDTHAW - (late because Alexander was in Australia): Lydia awarded 4th SILVER TOWER and becomes 3rd Seneschale |
| April 1984 | First Brewer's Guild at Eirik & Merlynia's (still sip'n 2/89) |
| April 27 1984 | Oriental Feast (Sigmundr & Ushi): Attack of the Ninja |
| May 1984 | Amberle resigns as Chronicler; Dylan becomes new Chronicler |
| May 12 1984 | Eirik Rodbjorn chosen Baron-elect of Settmour Swamp |
| May 25 1984 | Second Quest of Wit & Wisdom (Quest of the Wandering Monk)
(Amberle): Sheep Pasture with water spout; Calum chastised; Baroness Ursula and Baron-elect Eirik Rodbjorn hold court; Berudta wins fourth Baronial Championship Tourney |
| August 1984 | Pennsic - Swamp fields five fighters: Berudta (Tuchux), Calum, Gershom (Caid), Freiden (Middle), Coinneach |
| September 1984 | Ektor becomes fourth Seneschal of Gryphonwald |
| September 8 1984 | Eirik Rodbjorn invested as Baron Settmour Swamp at a fabulous
ceremony autocrated by Gwenyth: Guillermo made coronet with gothic arches for Eirik; Gwenyth given a MANCHE from King Hasdrubal and Queen Amber; Brighid awarded BRONZE TOWER |
| ????????? 1984 | Retep creates jewel-inlaid carved scepters for Eirik & Ursula |
| November 1984 | House Bheithir formed by Dylan, Cuthbad, Calum, Andros |
| December 1 1984 | Wedding of Eirik and Merlynia (women make their sacrifices) |
| March 1985 | Dylan leaves for Michigan State Univ. (Barony North Woods); Rayus becomes Chronicler; Settmour Swamp includes Essex, Hunterdon, parts of Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Union and Warren Counties; Carillion's Annual Chicken Fat Festival (Mudpuppy joke issue) |
| March 30 1985 | Fifth MUDTHAW: Dylan & Rayus awarded BRONZE TOWERS; Alexander becomes fourth Seneschal |
| April 1985 | Merlynia hosts Celtic day, spreading the plaid plague; Crafts Guilds & Madrigal Practice begin; Argyle's first Pot au Feu column (still cooking 2/89) |
| May 1 1985 | First Swamp trip to Higgin's Armoury, try on real armour |
| June 1985 | Emrys fifth Seneschal of Gryphonwald |
| June 29 1985 | Wetlands Alliance Treaty signed between Settmour Swamp and Ironbog at Summer Solstice Event |
| June 1985 | Coinnneach wins fifth Baronial Championship Tourney |
| July 1985 | Thorsten designs portable picnic table; Swamp builds several |
| August 1985 | Pennsic - Wetlands Alliance forms large fighting group |
| November 16 1985 | Day of Games (Argyle & Alexsondra) |
| December 1985 | Norr & Rachel host Fighter & Archery Practice (still do 2/89); David the Smith forms Craft Guild (start - Jack of all Trades) |
| January 11 1986 | Seventeenth Night (Lydia) |
| March 15 1986 | Sixth MUDTHAW: Alexander awarded fifth SILVER TOWER; Andrusus, Brian, Millisande & Guillermo given BRONZE TOWERS House Ostrov (from Freya (predates SWAMP)) 15 years old |
| April 1986 | first Mudguppy - (Mitchell & Jessa) Mudbunny of the Month; Barony's application for Principality approved |
| April 5 1986 | Coronation - Ronald & Bronwyn (Gravin Eva van Oudeachterkol): Ursula steps down as Baroness Settmour Swamp; King Ronald & Queen Bronwyn make Ursula a Court Baroness; Dylan made a coronet with gothic arches for Ursula; Settmour Swamp Madrigals appear on the Uncle Floyd Show and then make encore performance for TRH Ronald & Bronwyn |
| ???????? 1986 | Carillion joins the Wetlands Alliance |
| ???????? 1986 | Merlynia orders SWAMP T-Shirts with leaning tower on them |
| April 26 1986 | Inn of the Black Gryphon - Gryphonwald (Tygger): Nadira pays 1000 "silver" pieces for trim |
| May 1 1986 | Second trip to Higgin's Armoury |
| May 23-26 1986 | Third Quest of Wit & Wisdom (Quest of Silver Arrow) (Deirdre) |
| June 1986 | Banns of Marriage: Aeginold del Thoar & Tamar de Chante Ishta; Banns of Marriage: Caspian & Tygger; Kelson sixth Seneschale of Gryphonwald |
| June 15 1986 | First Scottish Day demo at Bonnie Brae |
| June 28 1986 | Demo: Hillsborough Library |
| July 1986 | Tammaron a' Bheithir killed in an auto accident |
| July 1986 | Serric der Grimmige wins sixth Baronial Champion Tourney |
| July 26 1986 | First Schola (Merlynia): First IVORY TOWERS awarded to Brighid, Merlynia, Calum, and Alexsondra; Retep, Emrys, and Daffyd the Smith awarded BRONZE TOWERS |
| August 1986 | Pennsic XV - Wetlands Alliance led by Dragon Standard
created by Merlynia and David the Smith; Elena & Thorsten are Camp Mommy & Daddy; Merlynia awarded MANCHE |
| November 8 1986 | Gryphonwald - Roman Banquet (Kelson & Tygger) |
| January 1987 | HUGE Stomp at Kasha's; Deirdre deputy Seneschale |
| February 1987 | Tour of Beweries in New York |
| March 28 1987 | Seventh MUDTHAW (All Fool's Day) (Thorsten & Elena) Sixth SILVER TOWER awarded to Baroness Ursula; BRONZE TOWERS awarded to Mitchell, Jessa, Elena, Torrson, Norric, Rachel, Tygger, Deirdre; Helen's belly dancing dazzles the crowd (still dancing 2/89) |
| Spring 1987 | Aldraic a' Bheithir killed by a choking accident |
| April 1987 | Second Mudguppy: Seneschal Gloat, Alexander-Seneschal-for-life Unarmored 3 man melee and cat slinging tourney |
| April 25 1987 | May Revel (Emrys & Brighid) |
| May 23 1987 | Fourth Quest for Wit & Wisdom (Quest for the Sable Unicorn)
(Dierdre, Rachel, Rhiannnon: Chlotifer's "pavillion": Wulfstan wins seventh Baronial Champion Tourney |
| July 1987 | Second Schola (Merlynia) Argyle's beer tasting, Calligraphy |
| August 1987 | Pennsic - Cattle Raids; Dylan and Theoden become sheep |
| Sept. 12 1987 | Demo at "Newark Festival of the People" in Newark |
| October 3 1987 | Harvest Festival (Helen & Rhiannon) |
| October 1987 | Mudpuppy wins East Kingdom Newsletter Contest in categories of best newsletter & best theme issue (June Viking issue) |
| December 19 1987 | Masked Revel - Gryphonwald (Kelson) |
| January 1987 | Jessa & Mitchell take Pikestaff; Chlotifer acting Chronicler |
| February 1988 | Serric's German Household forming; Germanic Culture Articles |
| March 5 1988 | Eighth MUDTHAW (Celtic theme): TRM Morghun and Rowan and TRH Gavin and Sedalia attend; AoA's given to Brighid, Norric, and Rachel; Alexander steps down as Seneschal; Deirdre becomes fifth Seneschale; Wedding of Aongus Eirikson and Morgaine a' Bheithir |
| May 30 1988 | Fifth Quest for Wit & Wisdom (Funathalon): Catriona, Serric, Nillarioh, Chlotifer & Calum receive BRONZE TOWERS; Wedding of Oliviandre & Sechal; Calum wins eighth Baronial Championship Tourney |
| April 1988 | Third MUDGUPPY advertising DUKE RONALD's EVIL FIGHT PRACTICE |
| April 16 1988 | Coronation of Gavin & Sedalia (Carillion): Baron Eirik carried into court on a litter while throwing coins and rings to the crowd with a retinue of ~40 Swampies |
| April 23 1988 | Wedding of Retep and Oriana at Swamp Stomp at Norr & Rachel's |
| May 1988 | Grimbold organizes CPR courses for training Chirurgeons |
| June 3 1988 | Second Scottish Day at Bonnie Brae |
| August 1988 | Pennsic - Baron Eirik volunteers the Swamp for WAR SECURITY; Calum gets AoA; Merlynia volunteers the Swamp for water bearing; Wedding of Ekaterina (Kasha) and Wulfgang |
| September 1988 | Swamp helps mundane Renaissance Faire in Westfield |
| September 1988 | Incipient Canton of MARWICK organized (parts of Union County, Boundbrook, Warren & Watchung): Reya becomes first Seneschale |
| October 2 1988 | Marwick hosts "Settmour Social" (Stomp) |
| October 23 1988 | Third Amber Kirn at Gill St Bernard's School: Dylan & Dierdre receive seventh & eighth SILVER TOWERS; Helen, Persephone, Trevyn, Valery Fitzgerald, Cuthbadh, and Aongus Eirikson receive BRONZE TOWERS; |
| December 1988 | Tamsin helping Chlotifer as Deputy Chronicler for the Mudpuppy |
| January 1989 | Chlotifer changes his name to Chlotivert |
| January 7 1989 | Settmour Swamp 13th Night - (King of Fools) - (Alexander) |
| February 1989 | Deirdre resigns as Seneschale; Dylan becomes Seneschal-Elect |