Dressing up is all in a day’s work for Girvan’s Denis

Jul 16 2010 by Edwin Lawrence, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

DENIS REID not only loves history – he lives it too.

And he travels all over Scotland putting on spectacular shows.

Denis, 64, makes a rare Ayrshire appearance at Culzean Castle on Sunday, July 18.

There’s a special Knights and Princesses Day on from 11am to 4pm.

Denis said: ”Youngsters can come in costume, and gain a certificate confirming them as a knight or a princess.”

There will be fun medieval activities – everything from designing a coat of arms to learning courtly behaviour.

Denis, from Girvan, started a second career nine years ago with his Black Raven Living History company.

He had taken early retirement from his job as an environmental health officer with South Ayrshire Council.

But he was well prepared for a lively retirement, having been a founder member of the Carrick 800 battle re-enactment group in 1986.

Denis said: “Although I’m no longer a member, I regularly see the the Carrick 800 team at various events.

“It’s probably the oldest battle group of its kind in Scotland, and is still going strong.”

Denis was the group’s battle director for many years, and that role is now taken by David Morton, who joined as a 13-year-old when Denis was in charge.

Denis now specialises in depicting a fabulous range of historical characters.

And he has just had a key role in one of Scotland’s top summer events.

It was a spectacular jousting extravaganza, which attracted huge crowds to Linlithgow Palace on the first two weekends in July.

Among the roles Denis took on was Dr De’ath, physician to the Medici family.

Denis said: “He is based on a real character, but I play him for laughs.

“The kids love it when you produce some of the horror instruments used in medicine and surgery in those days.

“Myself and others were providing the light-hearted interludes between the jousting.

“And I would have to pretend to deal with severed limbs and other gory injuries.”

Denis’s work take him all over Scotland – all the great castles and palaces, as well as the Border abbeys.

It’s hectic stuff, but Denis hopes to pursue his second career for a while yet.