During my travels I have encountered many different styles of period pavilions. This article is a summary of my findings as far as the pros and cons go for various styles of tents.
If you plan to build a pavilion, you may want to read "Things I've Learned the Hard Way", as well as the Stephan's Florilegium file "tents-weather-msg".
Viking A-frame
 photos of completed tents
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I get asked about this one the most often. It consists of 10 pieces of lumber for the frame: 2 side rails, a ridge pole, 2 ends, and 4 cross-beams. The canvas pattern is easy, it consists of a rectangle and 4 triangles.
Pros: It's period and doesn't require stakes or ropes, so it can be set up on anything, even concrete.
Cons: It has a tendency to lean, which can be remedied by an interior rope support. The canvas does not always stay taught because it is supported by the outside frame, therefore is more susceptible to rain and wind. Having flat sides makes it resistant to wind, therefore less likely to brave strong storms well. There is a lot of lumber to carry--a heavy load.
Setup: Can be done by 1 person, but 2 is much easier and definitely safer.
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Anglo-Saxon Geteld
 photos of completed tents
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The geteld has endured as one of the most commonly used tents though the centuries. There are three pieces of lumber: 2 support poles and one ridge pole. The canvas pattern is the same as the Viking A-Frame, but it stakes down rather than being supported by an outer frame.
Pros: There's very little to transport. Because the canvas is held erect by tension, you're less likely to get wet during a rainstorm. It's a relatively light load and you can carry the poles on the roof of a car (a truck is not a requirement).Cons: Wind resistant due to flat walls, but it holds up better than the Viking A-Frame in strong storms.
Setup: Can be done by 1 person, but much easier with 2.
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Bell Wedge
 photos of completed tents
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The French Bell Wedge is a very pretty pavilion, as well as practical. It has the same interior frame as the geteld and almost the same canvas pattern, but with conical ends. This tent opens in the center. I have seen some that have an attached fly, a simple square over the door, held up in front by two poles.
Pros: Same as the geteld with significantly less wind resistance due to the rounded ends. You can add dagges along the top, or even flags (or gilded balls) at the top of each support pole.
Cons: Optional flags can be a dangerous lightning hazard. In strong winds, the fly is likely to fall, and is also likely to collect pools of rain depending on the angle it is erected. Slightly more canvas than the geteld is involved.
Setup: Can be done by 1 person, but much easier with 2.
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Marquis
 photos of completed tents
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This pavilion is excellent for utilizing space, but there's a lot to carry. There are 2 center poles, an optional but recommended ride pole, and 10 perimeter poles. You can decorate the tent with dagges and flags, gilded balls, etc.
Pros: Great for utilizing space. There's plenty of head room, since the walls are straight.
Cons: There's a lot of wood to carry and you must keep up with ropes and stakes. Because of the straight walls there is a lot of wind resistance, and in a strong storm is likely to waver, though I've never actually seen one fall. At Pennsic XXIV I was staying in a Marquis on a hill with no trees, and was fervently duct-taping splints to a cracking center pole. These were very high winds, though.
Setup: At least 2 people. 4 is ideal. |
Yurt/Gher
 photos of completed tents
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Here's a large tent that's great for a household (or tribe) to have. Roof poles extend from the top of an expanding lattice wall to the apex where they fit into a hoop, leaving the tent totally open. It takes a truck to move this thing, though. I don't know how the roof pieces fit into the hoop or how many there are, but it's a lot to transport. Then the canvas is put on and secured with ropes and a belly band. The belly band can be as ornate as you wish.
Pros: It can stand up in the worst of storms. With properly treated canvas, they rarely leak, and it's designed for good ventilation--a must in summer heat!
Cons: It's a lot to carry. And then you have to load up the rest of your gear.
Setup: Ideally, 8-10 people. The more, the merrier! I wouldn't try it with less than 4, however.
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Single Pole Spoked Pavilion
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This design has turned out to be my favorite for battling the elements and for ease of putting up/taking down. Shown here is a sunshade, made from waterproofed nylon tent fabric. Extremely compact and lightweight. The center pole is an 8-foot closet rod, and the spokes are 5/8" dowel rods. The diameter is 6 feet at the base.
Visit "Legends 2001" event photos for a view of the same tent with walls rolled up for use as a sun-shade
or see the dormered canvas version here: Event Photos
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Single Pole Hoop Pavilion
(drawing coming soon)
photos of completed tents
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Info coming soon. |
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Conical Pavilion
(drawing coming soon) photos of completed tents
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Info coming soon. |
For more articles on period pavilions including history and plans for building, visit Medieval Pavilion Resources.
For a timeline of period pavilions, visit The Tents of History, a tent documentation database.
For pictures of reproductions, visit the Medieval Pavilion Resources' Gallery of Tents for a few examples. Others can be found by browsing through various SCA
and SCA related sites, especially those with articles concerning thePennsic War.