More images can be accessed on St Mary’s photo stream
It’s always a nail-biting undertaking to organise an outside event because of the weather factor; doing so in September makes it especially tricky as the approaching autumn can throw anything at you: rain squalls and high winds – or an Indian summer.
We were lucky with the timing of The Ale. It rained heavily just before 7am, then the day brightened and the sun came out until, towards 4.30pm, light rain made a re-appearance just as most activities had finished.
And what activities they were! There were the stilt walkers, the ‘Obby ‘Orse and the musicians to start it all off on the King George V playing field at 10am, as gradually people assembled to await the arrival of the Lord and Lady of the Manor, accompanied by the Colchester Town Watch and the Colchester Waits Shawm band.
The Town Watch performed a weapons drill on the field before the procession set off for St Mary’s.
Meanwhile the churchyard was a hive of activity. The hog roast had been set up at 7am and was being closely watched by a selfless volunteer, Sid Price; ‘selfless’, because it must have been a right boar (geddit!) to just stand over the roasting engine and make sure the fire didn’t go out – which of course it did … not once but repeatedly! Sid had been initiated into the arcane practice of re-lighting the thing but after having done so for the fourth time he laconically reported that it was now burning “inside the box”, i.e. underneath the control knobs rather than through the burners… there’s nothing like a decent panic to get things moving at 7.20am on a Saturday morning!
Farmer Jim hot-footed it back to the church and ministered to the appliance, the hog was wheeled to the other side of the entrance porch where it was more sheltered, the fire re-lit and Sid’s job eased to the point where he spent most of the rest of the morning next to the roast with his feet up, reading the paper.
At about the same time as the above was going on, two other volunteers very carefully carried out the casks of ale which had been stored in the choir vestry from the previous Wednesday – surely a first for any choir vestry? It was a breath-taking operation: one false move, one trip on the uneven ground, and that cask probably couldn’t be used even 5 hours later when the ale was to be served. But Rod and Lewis were equal to the task and when Tom the brewer arrived at 9am to set up the bar, 5 casks were neatly lined up for him.
Erecting gazebos, setting out tables, placing the straw bales around what would be the arena and generally getting the churchyard ready to receive the visitors seemed but mundane jobs after all that early excitement and, thanks to the efforts of yet more volunteers it was all accomplished with a panache that belied the novelty of the event.
Robin Fawcett the Tree Wright arrived to set out his stall and set up his pole lathe; Des Pawson attached his rope walk to the tree next to it; Lisa Gorrod the face painter arranged her tables; other stallholders were setting up along the outside of St Mary’s railings. There was expectation in the air and when finally the faint strains of music told of the approaching procession, everybody hastened out of the churchyard to welcome it.
Our Mayor and Mayoress had made a fantastic effort to look the part of the Lord & Lady of the Manor and I hope they will enjoy the memory of the event when they look at the water coloured drawing, made by graphic designer Lauren Baker of them in their finery, which was presented to them at the Harvest lunch a few weeks later. Once seated in the arena they and we were treated to a display of Elizabethan dancing which went on for some time as the dancers involved adults and children in rounds after their performance. So many people had made an effort to dress up, the place was completely transformed and the atmosphere was great.
The specially brewed St Mary’s ale was then officially tasted, approved and opened for sale.
Riddles, ‘guess the weight of the hog’, mummers play, traveling minstrels from Italy, children’s Best Costume competition, sheriff’s performance of Medieval Crime & Punishment complete with stocks and branding irons, all these entertained the appreciative crowds until the day was closed by a concert of madrigals by In Accord.
And as if all that was not enough, the Sunday saw St Mary’s first ever pet service being held outside in the sunshine, the congregation on straw bales and on the chairs arranged behind, lots of dogs and cats, a brass band, and the Rector under the gazebo addressing the animal component of the congregation in their own language (!) They may or may not have understood him but they joined in the singing with real enthusiasm!
In the afternoon young and old enjoyed demonstrations and workshops of candle making, glass painting, spinning, rag rugging, basket making and willow sculpturing while the Wivenhoe Guides and Brownies contributed manpower and organisation to the various traditional games set up in the churchyard – though it must be said that the not-so-traditional game of plate smashing proved the most popular!
Throughout the two days a young local film maker moved unobtrusively around to record some of this novel event on video. Sam King has aspirations to become a film maker and had readily agreed to apply his undoubted skills to the occasion. Enjoy his contribution in the following clip which shows some interviews and a selection of the activities.
I hope you particularly enjoyed the audio under the final credits!
Will the Church Ale happen again? This was a St Mary’s fund raising event and in the end it raised about £850. But in terms of investment in the community it was of incalculable value. There have certainly been many requests for a repeat…
