The Nottingham Jousting Association (now the Knights of Nottingham) came into being by accident.  In 1970, the City of Nottingham held a large festival and because the city has always been closely connected to Robin Hood, it was decided that the festival should have a medieval theme. The daily highlight all week was to be a jousting tournament. At this time, there were no professional jousting troops in England, and a group of stunt men were asked to arrange the jousting sequences.  Mr. Robert Humphrey, the then proprietor of the School of National Equitation, Bunny Hill Top, Costock, was asked if he could supply the horses for the stunt men to ride.  Because of a programming error, the jousters were booked for 6 instead of 7 days and the festival organisers asked Mr. Humphrey if he could find enough male riders to dress up and carry on the tournament for the last day.  This he did with great success. The jousting tournament at Nottingham caught the imagination of festival organisers throughout England, and Mr. Humphrey was approached to stage other jousting tournaments.  And so, the Nottingham Jousting Association was formed.  Within 2 years, what started as a hobby became a full-time, commercial enterprise, with his 3 sons, Sam, Philip and Stuart all taking part.  The next generation of Humphrey boys has now joined the troop, which travels the length and breadth of Great Britain, as well as performing on the International circuit. Sam’s son, Mark, also jousts in the show, making him the third generation of the family to carry a lance and joust.  This is a feat that probably has not been achieved since medieval times!!
In 2006 Sam Humphrey decided to finally hang up his jousting spurs and Philip, Stuart and Mark along with several other members of the troop set up the company Medieval Entertainment and renamed the jousting troop The Knights of Nottingham, the name it proudly goes by today.

The troop travel extensively during the summer months, recreating jousting tournaments at historical venues and large public attractions.  They have also traveled to Cyprus, Portugal, Belgium, America, Canada, the Channel Islands and Ireland to entertain in the way they know best.

The tournaments, which are based on the period of the Crusades and Richard the Lionheart, feature jousting where the mounted knights knock each other off with 12-foot lances, at the gallop.  They also tilt at the quintain and have competitions spearing the carousel.  The ladies of the audience are invited to present scarves or other tokens to the knights, as favours.  Having been chosen, the knight will then fight for that lady’s honour.

The shows themselves are extremely entertaining, with gripping performances that involves the audience. From children to grandparents, they are encouraged to ‘boo’ the dastardly deeds of the Black Knight, to 'cheer' the chivalrous actions of the White Knight, whilst the humorous actions of the drunkard knight cause everyone to smile at his antics!

Such is the authenticity of costumes and weapons, the BBC have used The Knights of Nottingham for their schools’ programmes on medieval history.  Their skills are also used in many films for television and feature films, or for lectures and talks to school children and medieval enthusiasts.

BEFORE ROYALTY...The Knights of Nottingham have performed for many members of the Royal Family, notable at the Nottingham Festival, the Royal International Horse Show, and in 1985, were proudly asked to provide the entertainment for the Prince and Princess of Wales during their visit to the Battle of Bosworth Battlefield.  In 1986, they performed 2 shows at Gatcombe Park, the home of the Princess Royal.

In recent years the Knights of Nottingham have represented Great Britain in the World Jousting Championships that have been held in Canada and the USA. On both occasions they have come home with the World Jousting Tournament Trophy, a feat made even more outstanding by the fact they had to use hired horses that had never jousted before. The lads skill and bravery shone through proving that the Knights of Nottingham really are the Best in the World.