A VILLAGE OF THE 19th CENTURY AT HOUGOUMONT FARM

Around the Hougoumont farm where Napoleon lost the Waterloo battle against Napoleon, during this weekend an old village was built. Of course not in stone but in white tents ! Over a hundred fans of the battle, wore the historical civil clothes of 1815 to share with the public their passion. For the first time, I haven't seen a single soldier but all kind of civil costumes of the battle time ! 

There were many craftsmen : basket maker, tailors, stonecutters, blacksmith, knife maker etc and also corset makers, lace maker, and cooks

I missed the storyteller, singers, dancers and musicians because it was just lunch time, but I saw bowling and cricket games.





They were all sitting around and enjoyed the meal from this time. As I didn't want to look to close into their plates, I saw that it was mostly roasted chicken, sausages and ham and potatoes.





The "restroom" was just behind the tables



The first tourists arrived, Dutch and English and a few Germans



The ladies in their costumes. Here you can see that it is only a reconstitution because the man had cleared the table and carried the plates to be washed. At that time a man would never had done this !



It was a very cheerful atmosphere





There were also 3 horses and from time to time somebody rode them around



the blacksmith at work



from a few cords by turning a thick rope was made



Inside the courtyard of the Hougoumont farm, your can see the chapel which had burnt during the battle.



hot pants





All you can eat







Bowling



and the memorial for the British soldiers who fought here under Wellington. The memorial was inaugurated by Prince Charles during the bicentenary of the battle in 2015.

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