Footnote

As an addendum to this morning's post here's the entry for this year's most reviled public figure at the Lewes Bonfire Celebrations tonight oink oink

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/nov/05/david-cameron-pigs-head-effigy-lewes-bonfire-night

Arilx

Bonfire Night Lewisian Style

Lewes, let's just say, goes to town just a little when it comes to bonfire night...erm understatement. Flamin' Ada or should that be flamin' Guy?!

When we danced at The Snowdrop last month Mr GBT took a photo of this:

Naturally my nosey bone has been twitching ever since. I vaguely knew it was a bit of a big deal with lots of people going but hadn't appreciated just how huge it is. 3000 people participate and 80000 spectate. There's flaming barrels, five separate bonfire displays and lots of controversial effigies of whoever is not flavour of the month with the masses at the present time. As the website quaintly put it- it's not an event for a yummy mummy with a pushchair! The evening is a celebration of the failure of Guy Fawkes and the infamous Gunpowder Plot along with a commemoration of the seventeen Protestant martyrs who perished under Mary Tudor [marked by seventeen burning crosses] and those who lost their lives during the World Wars.

There are lots of Bonfire Societies in the country but Lewes seems to have the most well known and at times the ones with the most chequered histories. Started in the 19th century some have fallen by the wayside whilst others have been resurrected within the last few years to bring the numbers back up to six. Each have their own Pioneer costumes and smuggler jumper colourways. The South Street Society's First Pioneers is the Colonials [1750] and the second is the English Civil War. Their jumpers are brown with cream stripes. The most controversial is the Cliffe Bonfire Society. Despite attempts to curb their activities, they continue with the traditional elements as they carry their "No Popery" banner and burn an effigy of Pope Paul V [1605]. They have responded by marching alone, buying their own firesite and forming their own firework company. Their membership is swelling and I along with them applaud the stand they've take. In their own words "...Cliffe has relished the notoriety surrounding its controversial activities."

Arilx

Happy as a small boy with a new toy.

Except I'm a middle aged bird with a new-to-me tambourine. One has been swapping ones goods and chattels again- this time I had a lovely twisted branch which was collecting dust. My dancing chum L has been collecting beer bottle tops for months as she wants to make a monkey stick and this staff is just the ticket. I, meanwhile, am thrilled because it now means I can join in with the musicians when I'm not dancing- I love jangling away and am always so much better when I've got something to do. There are times when my anxiety has rocketed when we've danced out which has made me really nervous and affected my dancing. This is another way of keeping all that nonsense at bay along with good old Rescue Remedy. I am delighted to report it is working!

This is me with said item recently at the priory ruins in Arundel. I am easily pleased.

Arilx

Jewel of the Isle

As beautiful as any diamond necklace.

Arilx

Fancy Dress

I love the chance to dress up once in a while as seen in yesterday's post. However, these two take it to a whole new level. When this photo popped up on my FB feed I guffawed. Don't know if I'd be brave enough to wear this particular get up!

Arilx

Halloween Shenanigans.

A quick whizz round the fun and frolics of the weekend.

Me and my very dear chum on Friday night. I had half inched the teenager's Grim Reaper garb for this ghoulish jolly.

Mythago does Halloween. The amazing skull was painted by one of our side [it was illuminated by her son's bike light]. That two nights in a row that I've been out and about armed and dangerous. Should I be worried....or maybe you should be worried!!

As for Humphrey, having done his one night's duty of the year as a black cat, you can see the effort of flying around on the broomstick has completely done him in. That's him worn out until 31st October 2016 then! For some unfathomable reason the teddy has become the head rest of choice this past week. Fickle creatures those felines.

Arilx

The Ugly Truth

The imported version of Halloween which has come from across the pond is great fun by and large [although I detest Trick or Treating almost as much as Black Friday but mustn't rant]. I used to love cooking all sorts of ghoulish goodies for a themed tea and was an ace with the green food colouring. Even now I enjoy the chance to dress up and kick my heels. Behind all that though I do remember that many innocent lives were lost at the hands of those who hunted down and executed those who were held up as witches.

Janet Horne was the last "witch" to be burned alive in Britain- 1727 in Scotland. The victim [her real name is not recorded- the name used was the generic one for those accused of witchcraft- bit like Jane Doe] was accused by her neighbour of riding her daughter like a horse to the devil to be shod. Failing to change her back from her pony form was proof enough to convict here. It is now known that the daughter suffered from a hereditary condition which made her feet and hands deformed. Janet herself showed a lack of understanding of what she was being accused  of with all the signs pointing to the fact that she was probably senile. The trial was rushed through by the sheriff-depute Captain David Ross and the poor woman was stripped, tarred and paraded through the town before being burnt alive. A memorial stone in Littleton marks her demise. The daughter managed to escape. Nine years later Scotland repealed the Witchcraft Act- it was the last country in the union to do so.

This poem by Edwin Morgan records the tragedy.

In Dornoch there was a burning
With no sign of mourning
That January morning

This was the final solution
The last execution
Of an ancient persecution

For they called it witchcraft
An old woman's stitchcraft
Or a bit of leechcraft

Century of enlightenment
Still thrilled to torment
Thumbscrews and judgement

Janet made a pony, of her daughter
Says the story
Rode her for Satan's glory

They tarred her and feathered her
Bound her and gathered her
Screaming and barrelled her

Burning in the peat-smoke
While the good Dornoch folk
Paused briefly for a look

Dear God were you sleeping
You were certainly not weeping
She was not in your keeping

Today there is a garden
Where a stone stands guard on
The spot she was charred on

O heart never harden!

Arilx