The Story AI Got Wrong: How We Really Met

One of the unexpected joys of running a website is discovering what people are searching for. Website analytics can reveal fascinating insights into what visitors want to know, from practical questions about our work to subjects we never imagined anyone would search for. This week, however, we discovered something rather unusual. Someone had asked AI how Ashley and I met.

Even more amusingly, AI had confidently supplied an answer. According to the internet, we're childhood sweethearts from Cumbria whose story began many years ago. While that's only partly true, the real story is considerably more entertaining.

Growing Up in Living History

To understand how we met, you need a little background. My parents are historians, and many years ago they ran a living history company called The Red Wyverns. The group travelled around the country to castles, historic sites and events, bringing history to life through displays, demonstrations and talks.

As a teenager, I attended many of these events. Now, if you had asked fourteen-year-old me how I felt about spending weekends at castles dressed in historical clothing, I would probably have rolled my eyes dramatically and given the sort of response only a permanently moody teenager can deliver. The truth, however, is that I absolutely loved it.

A Castle, Two Teenagers and a Lot of Sword Fighting

Ashley entered the story thanks to his older brother, who was involved with the group. According to family legend, his brother had managed to sword-fight everyone available and decided he needed some fresh competition. So he persuaded Ashley to come along.

And so, in 1999, a teenage girl from Newcastle met a teenage boy from Cumbria at Pontefract Castle while both were pretending it was the year 1500. It's not exactly the conventional start to a modern romance. Most people meet through friends, work, school or a dating app. We met while surrounded by people carrying swords.

The Incident at Tewkesbury

Later that same year, we met again at the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival. For those unfamiliar with Tewkesbury, it's one of the largest medieval re-enactment events in Europe, attracting thousands of participants and visitors every year.

It was there that Ashley made what might generously be described as a memorable impression. He knocked me off a chair in a beer tent. Before anyone jumps to conclusions, I should point out that I was drinking pop.

Unfortunately, that doesn't make the story any less embarrassing.

Despite this less-than-chivalrous behaviour, we somehow stayed in touch. Ashley remained in Cumbria while I remained in Newcastle, and our relationship developed through train journeys, long-distance phone calls and, later, the much-loved "blueys" that military families will remember with a mixture of nostalgia and frustration.

A Tradition of Public Embarrassment

Over the years, Tewkesbury remained a regular fixture in our lives. Every few years we would return to the festival, revisit old memories and catch up with friends. Ashley, meanwhile, continued to discover new and innovative ways to embarrass me in public.

One particularly memorable occasion involved him picking me up and promptly dropping me in front of a crowd of people. Years later, the incident is still discussed.

Some people become legends because of heroic deeds. Apparently my legacy involves unexpectedly finding myself on the ground at a medieval festival.

The Move-In That Wasn't Really Discussed

As the years passed, our lives became increasingly intertwined, despite military deployments, my legal career and a seemingly endless number of train journeys. By 2008, I had finally realised that this soldier, sword-wielding menace and serial embarrasser might actually be my knight in shining armour after all. So I moved in with him.

The only slight issue was that I didn't actually tell him this was my plan. Looking back, most couples probably discuss moving in together beforehand.

They have conversations.

They make plans.

They agree timelines.

I appear to have conducted what can only be described as a logistical operation. Fortunately, Ashley took this unexpected development remarkably well.

More Than Just a Love Story

What began at a castle in 1999 eventually became a life together filled with adventures neither of us could have imagined as teenagers pretending it was the year 1500.

Since then, our story has included military life, law, history, castles, travel, family adventures and more than a few unexpected twists along the way. Looking back, it's funny how many of the things that brought us together have also shaped the paths we would eventually take in our careers and lives.

Growing up surrounded by historians and spending weekends exploring castles, archives and historic sites gave me an appreciation for the stories hidden beneath the surface. I learned that every building, every document and every piece of history has a story to tell if you're prepared to dig deeply enough to find it. Perhaps that's why, years later, I found myself drawn to some of the more unusual aspects of property law. Whilst many people see title deeds as simply paperwork, I see them as historical records of people's lives, decisions and journeys. There's something fascinating about unregistered title deeds and old property documents that connect us directly to the past. Every faded signature, handwritten note and historic conveyance tells part of a story that has often been unfolding for generations.

In a similar way, military life has shaped both our personal and professional worlds. Living alongside military deployments, frequent moves and the unique challenges that come with Armed Forces life gave me a first-hand understanding of the pressures service personnel and their families face when buying, selling or managing property.

It's one of the reasons I particularly enjoy helping members of the Armed Forces community with their property journeys today. Whether they're relocating, purchasing a first home, navigating a posting or planning for life beyond military service, I understand that property transactions are rarely just transactions. They form part of a much bigger story about family, career, stability and future plans.

Looking back, it's remarkable how a chance meeting at a medieval event helped shape so many aspects of the life we have today. The history, the military connections, the castles and even the legal career all seem far less random when viewed through the lens of the last twenty-seven years.

It's been a journey built on friendship, shared interests, mutual support and a great deal of laughter.

And, if we're being completely honest, quite a lot of accidental public humiliation.

Artificial intelligence is incredibly useful and often remarkably accurate. But every now and then it fills in the gaps with a story of its own. While AI may have invented a neat tale about childhood sweethearts, the reality is far more interesting. And sometimes, the real story is far more entertaining than anything AI could invent.