Household of Bromley Manor
The HOUSEHOLD of BROMLEY MANOR
The Story of Bromley
The year is 1339. Perched atop a low promontory overlooking the confluence of two gentle rivers and the verdant fields they nourish is Bromley Castle. The castle and its associated manorial lands are amongst the three manors held in the kingdom of An Tir by the (fictional) Earl of Exmoor, Sir Geoffrey Haunton. Although but a minor part of the English baron’s vast holdings, Bromley nonetheless provides him with a substantial income from its rents and demesne profits from wool and timber.
As with all barons, the Earl is eager to maintain his preeminence. Crucial to this is preserving his noble reputation as a man of wealth, strength, hospitality, gentility, courtesy and charity. But Sir Geoffrey is a rare visitor to the kingdom of An Tir. As an advisor to King Edward III and the conflict with France growing increasingly hot, the busy Earl must rely on his household retainers to manage his estates. For distant An Tir, he requires a trusted familia to ensure that his interests are promoted; thus Bromley Manor serves as the administrative center for his lands in the kingdom.
The Steward of Bromley is the Earl’s chief administrator, overseeing the management of his An Tirian estates. In addition to effective estate management, the Earl is keen to maintain a presence in An Tir and this task falls chiefly to his Steward and the broader household at Bromley. To this end, the household attends tournaments, feasts and fairs throughout the year to promote the Earl’s reputation, keep abreast of the current affairs of An Tir and to expand trade for sale of the wool and timber produced by the manor. The kingdom of An Tir is famous throughout Europe for the intensity and grandeur of its tournaments which make an ideal forum for the carrying out of Sir Geoffrey’s orders.
Our Members
Thence go we, the humble representatives of the Earl, to do as best we may in furtherance of our lord’s noble reputation and position. At present, the Earl’s delegation remains small, for he does not provide enough maintenance to support a larger contingent. The wars with France and the considerable obligations to supply men and provisions to King Edward in support of that effort have seen the greatest part of his means diverted away from the more peaceable, dynastic ambitions which he harbors. On most occasions, the Bromley encampment is therefore a rather condensed but tidy place. Therein you will encounter the estate’s Steward, Iohannes Kelthammer, a second son born of Saxony who has by strange fortune spent many years in our lord’s service in England and An Tir. No doubt you will also come across Trafalgar MacIntosh, a Scot of wide travels, having spent his youth in the kingdom of Granada and now finding himself a wealthy merchant and his commercial acumen is crucial for the sale of the Earl’s wool and timber. Finally, you will often have the pleasure of meeting Meiriel; originally from the Isle of Mann, she has become a most favored companion of the Earl’s wife, Blanche and plies her knowledge of herbs and other remedies throughout the lands of Bromley.
Should you choose to seek us out, you may always mark our encampment by the Earl’s badge of the three crosses argent on a sable field. We welcome all visitors, humble and high-born alike to our compound and bid all to rest a while within Bromley Hall whereby we may prove our courtesy with ample food and drink. Our household strives to recreate the life and customs of the 14th century and we are in continual pursuit of that goal. We hope to meet you soon!
