Roger the Goliard
Roger the Goliard (Roger Shell) is one of the early members of the Barony of Madrone, starting his participation in 1972. He was a member of the music trio Voice of the Turtle.
In May of 1977, he attended the meeting where the Madrone Culinary Guild was founded, and served as Guild head from 1977 to 1986.
Roger received a Red Branch award in 1978 for his contributions to Madrone, and was elevated to the Order of the Laurel in 1979 for musical performance, culinary research and banquet production.
In 1980, during the 24-hour drive to Myrganwood Border War in Saskatchewan, Canada (Myrganwood being at that time a part of the Principality of An Tir), Roger wrote the music and text of the song that became An Tir's anthem - The Brave and Bonny Host, with Arias recording notes in the moving car.
He was Seneschal of the Barony from 1980 to 1983. In 1980 he and others established the medieval performance group Bawderie and Blisse, a quartet of Roger the Goliard, Arias the Innkeeper's Daughter, Greymoone Harper, and Laffer.
In 1981, Roger Shell founded a company, Camlann Enterprises, for the purpose of buying property to establish a historic village park depicting medieval southern England in the year 1376. He located a property in Carnation and purchased in 1982. In 1986, Roger incorporated the Camlann Medieval Association, a non-profit organization, and received grants from arts organizations such as 4Culture, in support of Camlann Medieval Village. He served as President from 1981 to 2025. Camlann Medieval Association is enrolled in The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums.
The first Camlann Medieval Village took place in August 1981 on a few acres of rented property just off Cherry Valley Road near Duvall. The site was rustic. Paths and a tourney field were cleared mostly with chain saws and hand tools. Timber and canvas booths and a stage were constructed. Roger submitted paid advertisements to the Crier to notify nearby SCA groups of the opportunity to volunteer at the fair.
The property he purchased at 10320 Kelly Road NE, Carnation, Washington in 1982 was slowly developed over the next year, mostly by volunteer labor done by supporters of the project, establishing the paths, booths, and open areas needed for the medieval village. A parking lot was cleared next to Kelly Road. Booths were constructed of timber and canvas. A refreshment stand was built. In August of 1983, the site opened to paying visitors. Roger subsequently established an annual summer season and the village opened on the weekends of July and August, with performers of music, puppetry, magic, period crafts and craft demonstrations, and SCA-style heavy armored combat in a tourney field overlooked by a raised stage where ladies witnessed the deeds of knights and rewarded winners. There were festivals held occasionally on other weekends, and special events. A re-creation of a medieval inn was built on the Camlann grounds and is a modest restaurant. The restaurant serves cuisine of the late 14th century in a family-style a few days each week, reservations required. Over time, additional re-creations of 14th century buildings were constructed. Camlann Village is an attractive and educational re-creation of a village in England in 1376.
Camlann Medieval Village and Camlann Medieval Association were not established by and are not part of the SCA.
Below, Roger the Goliard (left) with Edward the Stuffy and Thorin Njalsson at a Renaissance Fair held at Aqua Barn Ranch in Renton, Washington in 1980.
