This spade was made for Mistress Ellice de Valles who’s portable mini-medieval pleasure garden and classes on medieval gardens and agricultural inspired me. You can find her blog here: https://ellicesblog.wordpress.com
The portion of the spade (blade, shaft and T-grip) was shaped from a single seasoned timber of Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra L.) The metal “shoe” that covers the working edge of the spade’s blade and forms a hard abrasion resistant cutting edge was forged from a scrap of angle iron. The wooden portion was treated with pine tar to seal and preserve it.
Dimensions:
Overall height: 57-3/4 inches (147cm)
Shaft diameter: 1-1/2 inches (4.0cm)
Blade length: 10-1/2 inches (26.7cm)
Blade width: 8-1/2 inches (21.2cm)
Blade thickness at centerline between top ends of iron shoe: 1-1/8 inches (2.8cm)
T-handle length: 7-3/4 inches (19.5cm)
T-handle diameter: 1-1/2 inches (4.0cm)
Tools:
Marking tools included a pencil, twine, chalk and straight edge.
Measuring “tools” included a piece of twine and my hand. For measurements derived from and measured with the human hand see: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hand_Units_of_Measurement.PNG A modern tape measure was used once to measure the thickness of the timber and adjust a band saw according.
Tool for initial wood removal: A modern bandsaw was used to shape the timber to the rough outline of the spade.
Wood shaping tools: drawknife, chisel, rasp, and scrub plane.
Metal working tools: Coal forge, anvil, tongs, hammers, file, modern drill press (for drilling nail holes in the iron shoe).
Tarring tools: Boar bristle brush and a propane torch.
Process:
I followed the steps in this video with some exceptions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roZBuE96QbQ. Unlike in the video I used a bandsaw only to remove the waste wood outside the rough outline of the spade I had drawn on the timber. After that step I confined myself to woodworking hand tools that would have been available to medieval woodworkers.
Shaping the Wood
The oak timber with the rough outline of the spade marked on it.
Using a drawknife to shape the shaft and the edge of the blade.
The spade clamped onto my “Roman” workbench. The scrub plane shown was used to remove wood from the flat faces of the spade’s blade.
The nearly completed spade shown next to a modern spade for comparison.
Forging the Iron Shoe: A failed First Attempt.
A piece of scrap steel.
Heating the metal in my wood stove.
The “shoe” has been folded over. This dull red was as hot as I could get it in my wood stove.
Here I’ve begun to forge the curve of the spade’s blade only to discover that the metal has gotten to thin to continue .
Forging the Iron Shoe: A Start on a 2nd Iron Shoe.
A thicker piece of iron in the fire.
The curve of the shoe being checked.
For speed and ease I drew a chalk outline of the spade blade on my shop floor and marked my progress as I went.
This was as far as I could get without a real forge.
I could not get the iron hot enough in my wood stove to make much progress.
Forging the Iron Shoe: Now We’re Forging With Coal!
William of Wyndhaven saved the project with his forge, advise, and by lending me an extra set of hands.
The forge and the anvils in the background.
The shoe heating in the coals.
The spade’s shape marked on the anvil.
The shoe is almost U-shaped!
The layers of the shoe have been chiseled apart to match the edge of the spade’s blade. That was a two person job!
William holding the finished shoe.
Tarring and Assembly:
Fitting the shoe to the wooden blade required some trimming of the blade.
Pine tar was brushed on and heated to help it soak into the wood grain,
The shoe finally in place.
Another coat of tar and nails to hold the shoe and it’s done.
The problem with leaving a logboat out of the water for long is that it dries out and may check or split as a result of the wood shrinking unevenly. Malcolm F. Fry suggests a possible solution to long term storage when he states “One may even suppose that some smaller logboats could have been purposely submerged at their mooring when not regularly in use.” :Fry, Malcolm F. (2000) Coiti: Logboats from Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Archaeological Monographs: No 4, Antrim p.16 (Greystone Press) So faced with the problem of storing my logboat over the winter I decided to test Fry’s idea.
On 10 November 2020, with the help of my good friend Brian Hubbard (Known in the SCA as Gwillim Kynith) I towed my logboat into a remote pond. There we located a spot where the bottom fell away quickly from the shore. We tethered the boat to a tree with a stout rope, filled it with stones until it was just barely afloat then tipped an end under letting it fill with water. As it sank we pushed it away from the shore and into deeper water. Our hope was that it would come to rest deep enough to be under the winter ice to come.
The view upstream towards the pond.
The rocky shore where we sank the logboat.
The logboat resting on the bottom.
My assistant for the day: Brian Hubbard.
And then there was a long winter under the ice.
On 16 June 2021, we got around to recovering the logboat. With the water level different from when we had sunk it seven months before it was difficult to be certain but it appeared to me that the boat had moved closer to shore. Wether it was the winter ice grabbing the boat or it’s rope and dragging it closer to shore or other paddlers noticing it under the water and hauling it closer to shore to take a look, or some other cause is impossible to determine. In any case we were able to remove the stones, drag it clear of the water and re-float it. The check in the bow had opened even more and water trickled steadily in as we towed it back to the landing. Otherwise it seemed unharmed.
As we found it.
Brian removing stones.
Hauled out and drained.
Afloat again.
Towing it through the marsh.
Winching it up the steep bank.
In the trailer.
The check in the bow seen from the outside.
The same check from the inside.
Water seeping in the check once it was put back in the water.
In the Packard’s duck pond for the summer.
During the summer in the duck pond the logboat, seeping water through the crack in it’s bow, filled and sank several times. The next experiment on my agenda is to compare the effectiveness of dried Sphagnum moss to fresh green Sphagnum moss as caulking material.
The goal of this project was to create a functional logboat appropriate to early medieval Ireland using period materials and tools (or functionally equivalent substitutes when necessary) and following a sequence of operations suggested by period examples.
Type & Shape
This logboat is a “simple logboat” which means it has been made of a single log which once carved out has not had it’s sides extended (raised by the addition of wash strakes) or expanded (had them softened by heat or soaking and spread apart).
The shape of this logboat is of the “canoe” type, one of six logboat hull forms found in Irish and Scottish logboats as described and defined by Gregory, 1997.
Dimensions
This logboat falls within the size range of known examples but is at the extreme short end of the length range.
Length: 2.14m (7′-3″) long. Range in period examples: 1.83m – 16.76m. Majority 3m – 8m.
Width: 53cm (21″ maximum) wide. Range in period examples: < 40cm – 1.44m. Majority 50cm – 1m.
Depth: 31cm (12″) deep. Range in period examples: 12cm – 1.04m. Majority 20cm – 39cm.
Bottom thickness: 5cm (2″) thick. Range in period examples: 3cm – 11cm.
Materials: The Log
Logboats by definition are made from a log. The recovered examples of logboats in Ireland are with several rare exceptions made from green logs of Irish oak (Quercus petra). Living in North America I do not have ready access to Irish oak. While there are many oak species native to this continent I live in a region where the only species capable of producing a log of sufficient size is northern red oak (Quercus rubra) which has properties that make it a poor material for boat building of any kind. (For a demonstration why see this video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L6t2AZubF8U ) In the end I did not choose an alternative tree species for my logboat so much as it chose me.
Two friends were removing a large old sugar maple (Acer sacchaum) from their property and knowing I had been looking for a suitable log offered me one. It was 7’-3” long, the butt end was 25-1/2” across and the top end 19”. An estimate based on length, the diameters of each end, species and water content came in at 1,100 to 1,200 pounds.
The log in my back yard and ready for the work to begin.
Tools and Supplies:
Other than a chainsaw to trim the log prior to moving it to my home I used only hand tools. I limited myself to types of tools that were available in early medieval Ireland. For moving the log, especially in the early stages of the work: an iron pry bar, wooden poles and rope. For wood removal and shaping: axe, adze, gluts (wooden wedges), iron wedges, maul and mallet. For measuring and marking: string, awl, chalk and charcoal. For installing depth gauges: brace, spoon-bit, charcoal and knife.
AdzeGutter adzeAxeGlutsIron wedgesSpoon bit
There where several other tools which I tried out on the project but which proved to be of little practical use and I set aside: Scrub plane, large chisel, hatchet and draw-knife.
Sequence of work
In building this logboat I used an order of basic operations suggested by a number of Irish logboat finds. These finds are of unfinished logboats that were abandoned or lost at various stages of construction. Examination of these reveal that the builders shaped the exterior first and then the interior, used the trough and splitting method to remove much of the interior wood, and used depth gauges to control the thickness of the hull. Using my experience as a woodworker I broke that order of construction down further, into six steps: marking the centerline and gunnels, removing the wood above the gunnels, shaping the exterior, roughing out the interior, installing the depth gauges, and final shaping and trimming of the interior. All six of these steps together took a total of thirty hours of labor.
Step 1: Marking the center line and gunnel height.
Winding sticks being used to define the gunnel height.Marking the gunnel lines with a chalk -line.
Step 2: Removing the wood above the gunnel line using trough and splitting technique.
First trough cut and gluts started, all with an axe.The gluts have been driven home and the first chunk of wood removed.A trough cut into the next level down.A glut and iron wedge started for splitting out between two troughs.An area between two troughs cleaned up with the axe.The log leveled to the gunnel line.
Step 3: Shaping the exterior.
The log rolled upside down and the bark peeled off.The bottom flattened slightly and the keel line marked with a charred stick.The stern being roughed out with a hatchet. The bow being shaped with an adze.The bow nearly complete.The exterior shaping is done and it’s ready to roll right side up.
Step 4: Roughing out the interior using trough and splitting.
The trough and splitting method is used to rough out the interior of the boat.A trough being cut with the adze.Two gluts started into the side of a trough.A chuck of wood beginning to split off.A pile of large splinters and chunks removed from the inside. The interior taking shape.
Step 5: Setting depth gauges.
The purpose of the depth gauges is to control the thickness of the hull. Holes are made in the finished exterior as deep as the builders want the hull to be thick. In this case, two inches. Wooden pegs are then driven into those holes. The pegs are usually made of wood that contrasts in color to the hull, or are stained or colored. In this case, they were stained black with ground charcoal. Then as the builders remove wood from the interior of the logboat, they will eventually cut into the ends of the depth gauge pegs, revealing them. Seeing the end of a peg tells the builders they have reached the desire hull thickness in that area.
Holes for the depth gauges have been drilled with a spoon-bit and the tools and materials are laid out for installing the gauges.The depth gauge pin has been trimmed to size with the knife and the end coated with ground charcoal.The depth gauge has been driven to the bottom of the hole with a malletThe depth gauge in place and cut flush with the hull.The inner end of a depth gauge is exposed by the adze. That’s the sign to stop removing wood in this area of the interior.
Step 6: Finishing up the interior with adze and axe.
Using the gutter adze to remove wood from the inside of the bow.
Removing wood from the interior of the sides with an axe.
Testing performance.
Testing the performance of the logboat was done on two occasions. The first was in a small duck pond which is shown in the two videos below. After this initial testing, when not in use the boat was submerged in this pond for storage until it was moved to winter storage.
Video courtesy of Lord Calvius Nero.
Lord Oleksander Brazhnyk Video courtesy of Lord Calvius Nero.
A second more lengthy test of the boat’s performance was conducted on Moosehorn Stream in Orland. Maine. On this outing I paddled a quarter mile down Moosehorn Stream to it’s confluence with Hot Hole Stream where I engaged in several activities and then returned the quarter mile upstream. The activities at the confluence included checking woven eel traps, moving a trap across the stream, exiting and re-entering the boat on a marshy bank, and maneuvering in the more complex currents at the confluence of the two streams. This test was part of a group video production documenting not only my logboat but also two coracles, woven eel traps, a handmade drift net, and four SCAadians in garb. The photo below is a still from that video. The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS2SddH18pM
Giving the logboat and myself a workout. Photo courtesy of Shu Pate.
As expected, the logboat’s performance was strongly constrained by the size of the log used.
Stability: The relatively small diameter of the log prevented altering the rounded exterior cross section without losing the interior volume and buoyancy needed to keep me afloat. This unsurprisingly has resulted in a very tippy boat. Paddling while kneeling is difficult and nerve-wracking. Lowering the center of mass by sitting on the bottom of the boat improves the stability noticeably.
Maneuverability: The log’s short length makes for a very agile boat. It is capable of pivoting in it’s own length with very little effort with the paddle.
Tracking: Good tracking is the ability of a boat to move forward on a straight course with little need for course correction by the paddler. While the boat’s short length makes for an agile craft, it also results in poor tracking. It requires careful attention and corrective adjustments to each paddle stroke to maintain a straight course.
Comfort: Both short length and narrow width create a cramped interior space for a tallish adult paddler like myself.
General comments: For a person of my size this logboat is functional but awkward and at times an uncomfortable craft to use. For a smaller adult or child it may be less so. Its small volume and poor tracking make it a poor choice for carrying loads, long distance travel or use on larger bodies of water. On the other hand, it’s small size and agility could be quite useful for short trips and activities on small ponds, marshes and slow streams.
Challenges encountered and lessons learned
Because the log I used was from an old tree, I encountered areas of spalting, discoloration caused by fungi. These areas of the log tended to be soft or even punky, and as the work took place over the course of several months, even sprouted the occasional shelf fungus. For future logboats I will take more time and effort sourcing a log from a healthy mature tree that has not yet begun to decline.
Irish logboats were made from green logs which made working the hard oak easier. While I used a green maple log, my work on the project was spread out over a number of months. This allowed the log to begin to dry out, a process that was accelerated as I removed wood, creating more surface area. Covering the boat between work sessions with wet blankets and a plastic tarp, or filling it with water when it was right side up, was partially successful in slowing the drying.
In spite of my efforts, the wood began to check. This was particularly noticeable in the bow and stern. The archaeological record indicates that this was not an uncommon problem in period logboats and some finds offer solutions used by the early medieval Irish boat builder. There is one known example of a logboat repaired with an iron patch nailed over damage to the hull. There are several other finds that suggest that sphagnum moss had been used to caulk or chink splits and cracks in the hull. I successfully used both techniques to repair and seal cracks in the hull of my logboat.
Cracks showing inside the bow.The same cracks on the outside, clearly radiating from the heart of the log, stabilized with a metal mending plate and nails.Moss used to seal the cracks still green and alive several weeks after being installed.
What next?
The construction of the boat having been completed and my original goals achieved, I turned my attention to the problem of winter storage. The consensus among logboat scholars is that Irish logboats were maintained and preserved by keeping them wet and that they were intentionally submerged for long-term storage. Needing a way to store my boat over the winter, I have turned my need into an experimental archeology project. My boat has been moved to a remote pond, tethered to the shore, filled with rocks and sunk where there are several feet of water above it. My hope is that it is deep enough to keep it below the thick winter ice, an issue that would not have been as much of a concern in the milder winter weather of Ireland. In the spring I will return and recover it, hopefully to find it sound and functional.
A view toward the hidden place I chose to sink the logboat.Its winter resting place.Waiting quietly for spring.The tag nailed inside the gunnel in case it is discovered by others.
Another logboat?
Well, yes! Now that I know I can build one that floats, I want to build one large enough that I can paddle it comfortably and carry some gear as well. I’ll be looking for a longer, wider log from a mature healthy tree. Next time I hope to recruit a team and build it over the course of a long weekend. Possibly at the Endewearde Hunt. I may build a different hull shape if the log allows: a punt or transom-sterned canoe.
Sources
Fry, Malcolm F. (2000) Coiti: Logboats from Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Archaeological Monographs: No 4, Antrim (Greystone Press)
Gregory, N.T.N. (1997) A Comparative study of Irish and Scottish logboats [online]. Available at: https://era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/7517 (accessed 26 October 20222)
Lady Admiranda Howard & Lord Rufus Apicius Grippudd for the generous gift of the log that could have been firewood warming their home.
Syr Cedric of Thanet for the loan of his adzes and the woven eel trap that I got to play with while paddling my logboat.
Lord Oleksander Brazhnyk & Lady Anya Krasnoperkin for the use of their duck pond to test & store my logboat.
Lord William of Wyndhaven, Lord Gwillim Kynith, Lady Hrefna Hróbjartsdóttir & Shu Pate for a great day on Moosehorn Stream playing in garb in our boats with eel traps and nets. I’m looking forward to the video!
Lord Gwillim Kynith again, for the company and help putting the logboat to bed for the winter.
Lord Calvius Nero for recording videos of the first duck pond test and allowing me to use them.
Shu Pate for recording the day on Moosehorn Stream and sharing the video and the photograph of me paddling my logboat.
To the many friends who have taken an interest in this project and offered words of encouragement.
And last but not least to my wife, Sherrie, for the patience, proofreading, and love.
Now it’s time to put my feet up and dream of warm breezes and still water.
I have no idea if this method of using birchbark or paper was ever used in the SCA period, but it’s a fairly simple and handy use of period materials. I originally learned this from Camping and Woodcraft: A Handbook for Vacation Campers and for Travelers in the Wilderness, two volumes in one by Horace Kephart. Originally published in 1917.
Start with a square of birchbark or paper. Here I’m using an 8 inch square cut from a shopping bag. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner. I’ve drawn a dashed line to mark the next two folds.Fold the right corner as shown.Fold the left corner on top of the right corner.Fold the first of the upper corners down. Having Let the top corner you just folded down flop back up, open the pocket created by the fold of the left corner and then tuck that top corner into it. It should now look like this. To make it into a cup fold the remaining upper corner back. Squeeze the edges to open it for use. Press it flat and carry it in a pocket when not in use. To use it as an envelope or packet, after placing any contents into the cup area, fold the remaining upper corner into the front with the other upper corner. The completed packet. Paper packets in use storing dried wild herbs.
The Language of the Royal Forests of Medieval England
ATTACH:
– To arrest or place under control of a court.
– To apprehend, arrest and take surety for appearance at court. The surety may be goods and chattels, the body, pledges and mainprise or the body only. Attached goods were forfeit for non-appearance.
ATTACHMENT COURT:
– Also known as verderers’ court, woodmote, wardmote or forty-day-courts.
– Meetings of verderers every forty two days to receive and enroll the attachments by foresters, woodwards, and other officers of those accused of breaking Forest Law by offending against vert and venison.
– Attachment courts were able to enquire into cases and to sentence up to the value of 4d; more serious offences were bailed for sentencing at the next eyre court.
It first occurred to me to record the time I spend on some A&S projects when doing research on Irish logboat construction. I read an article, a brief description of an experimental archeology project where several scholars and their students attempted to build a logboat. The article mentioned the number of “man hours” that they had invested. My first reaction was to shake my head and think that was a ridiculous amount of time and there could not have been an experienced woodworker in the bunch. My second reaction was if and when I attempted to build a logboat myself, I should keep track of the time I put in and see if I could do any better.
I have in fact begun building a small logboat, and started to record my time on the project. Not only the time, but also making some effort to track the time spent on various phases of the project. But the time tracking was not as easy, nor as well organized as it could have been. I’d get the urge to step into the yard and do a little work on the boat and it would be several minutes into it before I’d remember that I should track it. I’d scribble a start time down on whatever scrap of paper I had in my pocket and hope I’d remember to note the finish time when I was done. I ended up with a bunch of these scribbled notes scattered around the house and occasionally I’d think to gather them up and transfer the “entries” onto a single sheet of paper. That was until today.
I can be dumb. All the while I’ve been working on my logboat I’ve had my phone in my pocket. I’ve frequently paused to take photos of the progress. I also use my phone in my work as a carpenter and handy-man. On it I have an app that I use to keep track of the hours I work on each project so I can accurately bill my customers for my labor. I just open a “New Job” for each customer, give the job a name and then “punch in” when I start and “punch out” when I’m done. It even has a notes field for each time record. Facepalm! It’s only taken me four and a half months to think of using it to track my logboat labor.
I use the HoursTracker app on my iPhone, available in Apples’ App Store. It’s free or you can subscribe to cloud storage and backup service. There are a number of similar apps available. If documenting the time you spent on a project could be a useful part of your research then you may want to try one of these time tracking apps.
This quick little project. I reshaped a scrap of slate roofing I found laying around a job site using a small bench-top belt sander, a bastard file and a power drill. It is a useful addition to my kit allowing me to touch up my knife, axe and other edged tools when I’m at events.
So you’re attending a camping event in the spring or fall for the first time and you’re worried about staying warm. Well here’s a few tips.
Tip 1: Dress in layers.
There are three types of layers:
The wicking layer. Worn against the skin. Wicks body moisture away from the skin. Materials that wick well: silk, wool and some synthetics like polypro.
The insulating layer(s). One or more layers of insulating materials. Wool is ideal. Quilted garments and multiple layers that trap layers of air work well.
The shell layer. Worn on the outside. Keeps wind, wet and dirt off the inner layers and can protect them from wear & tear. Appropriate shell garments vary depending on conditions and activities you’ll be doing and include aprons, capes, cloaks, coats, rain ponchos, etc. Generally the shell layer should be tightly woven and shed water but still let water vapor from the inner layers pass through. A waxed or oiled tightly woven light canvas is great. Leather and wool can work too. And there are a number of high-tech synthetics that are designed for just this purpose.
Tip 2: Cover your head.
Your head loses a lot of heat! Wear a hat. Even when sleeping. A night cap is not just the last drink of the evening.
Tip 3: Eat!
Fuel your body’s internal furnace. While carbs will give a quick burst of energy to warm your body that burst of energy will vanish as rapidly as it arrived. Soon you’ll be hungry and chilled again. Include in your meals energy dense foods that contain healthy fats and protein. These foods will fuel and warm you for longer periods.
Tip 4: Stay hydrated.
Water is not just for hot weather. You’re outside and even cool air dries you out over time. A dehydrated body does not function at it’s best and that includes generating warmth. So drink water regularly.
Tip 5: Use a ground sheet.
When sleeping, laying around or just sitting on the ground put something between you and the cool and damp ground.
For sleeping use a sheet of plastic under your tent. Trim it to the footprint of your tent but several inches smaller so that no bit of it extends out from under the wall of your tent because any bit that sticks out can catch wind-driven rain or even just morning dew. More than one careless camper has woken to find themselves in a shallow pool of cold wet water that was trapped by the ground sheet they expected would keep them dry.
If your tent has no floor and you’d like to make your plastic ground sheet look more medieval cover it with a rug or canvas floor sheet. Inexpensive canvas painter’s drop cloths, available at building supply and hardware stores come in many sizes, are durable and can be cut to fit. Just like the plastic ground sheet: nothing should stick out from under the tent walls.
Tip 6: Start the night dry.
When getting ready for bed change into fresh dry night clothing. You can even get a head start on a warm cozy night by warming your nightwear by the fire.
Tip 7: Hot water bottles!
Pre-warm your bed with a hot water bottle or fire warmed stone or brick wrapped in a towel or newspaper.
Tip 8: Use the buddy system.
Snuggle up at night with someone you love and share the warmth. If you’re a couple using modern sleeping bags find two bags that zip on opposite side and with compatible zippers. Then you can zip them together into one large two-person sleeping bag.
Tip 9: Pick a dry tent site.
Avoid wet or damp ground. Moss while soft and comfortable is a sure sign of moist ground.
Avoid low spots. Rain water runs down hill and will collect in even the shallowest depression. Cold air runs down hill as well and tends to settle in low spots.
Tip 10: Watch the little ones!
There’s a reason why ice age mammals got BIG! Small bodies loose heat faster than big ones. Small children are especially prone to getting chilled and even hypothermia. Keep a close eye on them in cool or wet weather. Pack lots of extra clothing for them.
Tip 11: Air Mattresses.
In a comment below Master Godric of Hamtun says “One thing I do is if you have a bed that you are up off of the ground and you use an air mattress, put a wool blanket under the air mattress and then one on top of the air mattress. This coupled with layered flannel sheets and wool blankets should keep you comfy warm all night.”
As Master Godric reminds us while air mattresses are great for giving you a soft comfortable surface to sleep on they are actually very poor insulation. Foam sleeping pads are much better insulators if not quite so good at cushioning. So use wool blankets as Master Godric advises or you can add a foam sleeping pad on top of the air mattress. Or if you are of a less tender nature, use a foam sleeping pad directly on the ground. But don’t forget your ground sheet! (See Tip 5 above)
Tip 12: Warm cloths in the morning.
Godric also commented: “Also put the cloths your going to wear the next morning in bed with you, that way you are not putting on cold clothing in the morning.” Good idea.
Tip 13: Warming your tent with a candle.
Lloyd Forester, Warden of the East (Head officer of the East Kingdom Royal Foresters Guild) posted: “Depending on your tent, A pillar candle in a terracotta flower pot can warm the area by as much as 10 degrees. In a canvas tent or breathable tent it is usually no worries. In a more confined tent I stick them in the vestibule. Of course it needs to be a set up that will not burn you down.”
A good idea, BUT: WARNING, Candles are HOT. They are on FIRE. Fabrics that are commonly used for tents, tarps and sleeping bags, while generally treated with flame retardants, ARE NOT FIRE PROOF! Even heavy cotton canvas can scorch or burn if you are careless with flames. Synthetic materials can melt and can leave truly awful burns if the hot melting fabric gets stuck on you. So, be careful with candles, lanterns and hot or flaming things of all kinds.
The Barefoot SCAdian 
