Who are Wihtwara?
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Wihtwara are a historical re-enactment group specialising in dark-age combat, battle re-enactments, living history and private events, portraying the Jutish population that lived on Whitland (the Isle of Wight) during the period 534-686 AD.
We are also known to explore further ages and recently began building a medieval unit lead by Dale Wilkinson, focusing on
The group was founded in 2018 by elder-man Saemundr Thornson (Simon Thompson), and later reformed in 2024 as a coalition for all members, old and new.
Who were the Jutes?
The Jutes initially hailed from the Jutland peninsula (modern-day Denmark) before migrating to Britain and settling during the mid-5th century AD. Of the Jutes, there were three main groups, the Wihtwara ('people of the spirit'), the Meonwara ('people of the Meon Valley'), and the Cantwara ('the people of Cant'- old english for Kent). They were one of the three most prominent and powerful Germanic tribes alongsixe the Saxons and Angles but are often overshadowed by the latter despite their historical significance.
Whilst their legacy is somewhat debated by historians, the Jutes were key participants in the reshaping of Britain after the fall of Roman rule. Historical accounts - most notable are those of Anglo-Saxon historian, Venerable Bede - cite the Jutes as an important group in the foundations of early English history
Map of the Germanic kingdoms in Britian circa 575 AC (Illustration: James Frankcom CC BY 3.0).
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