Marquees are perhaps the
most widely used tent design among medieval re-enactors. It can be set up by one person
if need be, and the structure can be broken down so that
the longest part is only just over 6 feet. Our tents have
six foot high walls and provide ample room for comfortable
camping or merchanting.
Marquee pavilions,
like their cousins the wall tents, can be found across many
cultures and time periods. The most well known
varieties come from Europe.
Marquee tents use a series of
wall poles, and one or two center poles to create a skeleton
around which the canvas hangs. Each wall pole is staked
to the ground via a rope, and the canvas is hung around
the outside of the wall poles. The tautness of the canvas is what keeps the tent together.
The center pole is significantly taller than the wall poles,
to create the pitch of the roof. Longer models employ two
center poles, sometimes connected with a ridge pole.
Poles - Our
ridge and upright poles are made of pressure treated pine
for good rigidity and weatherability. In addition we apply
a polyurethane finish, as a standard feature. Wall poles
have an integrated pin to hang your rope and canvas. We can splice the center pole of your tent so that it is no longer than the wall poles,
and include a joint at no extra charge.
Ropes and ties/loops
- Your tent will come with all the ropes and
ties you will need to set up. We use white nylon rope
and include pine wood sliders to keep it taught. All
our ties and loops are triple stitched, and are 1 inch
white nylon webbing. Ties are sewn every foot along the edges of the doors and along the tops of the walls. Stakes are also included.
Walls and roof fabric
- The fabric in our marquee tents is top of the line Sunforger
canvas for the best in water repellency and mildew resistance.
This comes in a 10oz or 13oz variety, and both are a
natural off white color. For more information
on our canvas, click here
Headroom – With at least six feet
of headroom throughout the entire tent, there’s no
need to worry about crouching. Most people will be able
to stand anywhere in the tent with headroom above.
Portability
– With everything able to break down to just over
6 feet, the whole tent can be packed easily into even a
mid sized car. The canvas folds up into a fairly small stack
and can be easily packed in a trunk.
Versatility
– Having the walls separate from the roof means that
you can take them down to allow easy access to the tent
from multiple sides, or to allow for ventilation. This feature
makes them extremely popular among merchants, as you can
display your wares from every side you care to leave unwalled.
At the end of the day the walls can be easily reattached. The walls can also be pulled halfway up by attaching the stake loops at the bottom to the pins at the top of the wall poles.
Storage Space
– The evenly spaced wall poles provide a convenient
way to mount shelves, brackets, or other storage solutions.
These can provide extra storage space, or a way to display
some of your prized possessions.
Setup –
A marquee tent's simple structure makes it quick and easy
to set up. A two person setup is ideal, but the tent can
be setup with just one person, if need be. Complete setup
instructions are provided with every tent.
Footprint -
As with any tent using ropes/stakes,
the ropes needed to secure the tent will extend 2' to
5'
beyond the walls to each walled
side. This means a 10' by 10' tent would need approx.
16' x 16' as a footprint. Keep this in mind when laying
out your campsite.
Structural interdependence
- More so than other tents, marquees are very
reliant upon the the ropes and stakes being set firmly
into place. The advantage of this is the relatively
few poles needed for setup. However, should a stake come loose or a rope be tripped over, it is possible that a pole
could fall. Its a good idea to regularly check that
your stakes are firmly in the ground and your ropes
are pulled taut and out of the way of highly trafficked
areas.
Center Pole
- The center pole (or poles) is an integral
part of any marquee, but keep in mind: its position is
fixed. When planning the layout of furniture and camp
equipment within the tent, remember to allow for the
center pole.
Deposit - We
require a 30% non-refundable deposit to begin work on tent
orders, the buttons below will add that deposit to your
cart. The balance (plus tax if applicable) will
be billed to you once your tent is complete and is due
before your tent will ship. You may pay this balance earlier,
should you so choose. Any options must be paid for along
with your initial order, unless otherwise noted.
Shipping - Shipping cost will also be included in the above mentioned
bill and will be calculated based on your address, whether an in person pickup
or event delivery can be scheduled, and final weight of your tent. We attend
many events in the NJ/ East PA Area and are happy to schedule a delivery if possible.
In-person pickups are also welcome, if you are near the central NJ area.
Build time - Please
allow 4-6 weeks for the construction of your tent. This
time can vary depending on how many orders we are working
on at the time (Late spring / early summer tends to be
the busiest time), the size of your tent, and other factors.
If there is a specific date you would like to have your
tent, we encourage you to order early! As we build, we
will keep you updated via e-mails and pictures on the status
of your tent, and an estimated completion
date. We will notify you ASAP once it is ready to ship.
Warranty – All tents
are covered under a 3 year warrantee, guaranteeing that
they are free of defects or faulty manufacturing. See this link for more information.
The marquee pavilion
- This contains everything you need to camp
in comfort and style. Includes canvas walls, roof, and
poles, all required ropes and stakes, and full setup
instructions.
