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Crowds of thousands came to see a stadium-sized theatrical spectacle.
Non-Fiction 1906 25 mins Silent
Unfolding across a whole week, and with 2000 performers, this was a gargantuan spectacle. The Warwick Pageant's ten episodes, as compressed here, saw men, women, and children re-enact significant events in the histories of Britain and the local area. Episode IV tells the tale of Guy of Warwick, the hero who slayed the monstrous Dun Cow - whose massive head we see wheeled in, eyes rolling and breathing smoke.
The early 20th century found Britain in the throes of 'pageant fever' thanks to one man: Louis Napoleon Parker. A similar event organised by Parker for Sherborne the previous year had captured public imagination, and after Warwick, other towns wanted in on the action too. Whether it's the Roman battles or the Elizabethan costumes, this drama is immersive, and the castle grounds offer a suitably mythical backdrop. This field bears the name of the Warwick Pageant to this day.
Drama 1913 54 mins Silent
Johnston Forbes-Roberston gives his famous performance of Hamlet in this ambitious early Shakespeare feature
Travelogue 1925 12 mins Silent Location: Stratford-upon-Avon
A picturesque portrait of Stratford-on-Avon in the 1920s, evocatively photographed by British cinema pioneer Cecil Hepworth.
Non-Fiction 1957 5 mins Silent Location: Hampton Lucy
Shakespeare's Warwickshire - home of the half timbered heritage trail and the place that will be forever linked to its most famous son.
Travelogue 1940 10 mins Silent Location: Stratford-upon-Avon
A tour of Stratford-upon-Avon's houses and hamlets, stomping ground of a young William Shakespeare.
Non-Fiction 1926 1 mins Silent Location: Stratford-upon-Avon
"O for a muse of fire" - or not, as Shakespeare's Memorial Theatre in Stratford is gutted by flames.
Non-Fiction 1915 1 mins Silent Location: Stratford-upon-Avon
Proud locals hold a double celebration in Shakespeare's home town.
Amateur film 1934 7 mins Silent Location: Matlock
Join Sydney Bligh and his fellow delegates as they tour Derbyshire spa towns, visit castles and cathedrals and still have time to see the animals at Whipsnade Zoo
Travelogue 1908 2 mins Silent Location: Warwick
A bygone Warwick with its impressive castle and idyllic River Avon shines in this charming early short.
Travelogue 1910 5 mins Silent Location: Royal Leamington Spa
Elegantly attired men and women while away a sunny afternoon on the banks of the River Avon in this idyllic Edwardian travelogue.
Documentary 1937 34 mins Silent Location: Houses of Parliament
Follow working narrow boats as they make their 60-hour trip from London to Birmingham along Britain's longest industrial waterway.
Travelogue 1947 17 mins Location: Warwick
Tourist promo film extolling the delights of Birmingham and the Midlands, with a sprinkling of arch one-liners.
Amateur film 1967 20 mins Silent Location: Warwick
World renowned landmarks, the country's most famous author and traditional farming culture meet in the centre of England.
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1933 2 mins
Hand-drawn sound experiment by Bauhaus professor László Moholy-Nagy.
Advert 1974 1 mins Location: Shaftesbury
A classic slice of British advertising history, though that hill's not as Northern as it looks...
Non-Fiction 1901 3 mins Silent Location: Rotherham
Edwardian workers react to the camera at one of Rotherham's major employers.
Non-Fiction 1900 1 mins Silent Location: Great Moor St, Bolton
Eager youngsters burst out of the gates of a Victorian cotton mill.
Sport 1901 1 mins Silent Location: Henley-on-Thames
It's the first weekend of July 1901, and high society are on the Thames
Advert 1898 1 mins Silent Location: St Pancras
An unusual farewell in this charming early film
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