callington

LIST OF SPEAKERS FOR THE MEETINGS Our Meetings are held at the Council Chamber, Callington Town Hall Meet 3rd Monday of month at 7.15 pm Meetings in the Lounge Area, left of the Foyer. 1
16th January, 2012	“William Bligh of St. Tudy”	Committee Member : David Naylor
20^th February, 2012	“Cotehele House”	Rachel Hunt : House and Collections Manager
Friday 2^nd March, 2012	St. Piran’s Luncheon
19^th March, 2012	Chough Partnership “The 10^th Anniversary”	Claire Mucklow R.S.P.B. – Project Manager
21^st April 2012	Gorsedh Proclamation:	Camelford

30^th April, 2012	Mr. and Mrs. Barry James – Higher Downgate : a Garden Visit	Cream Tea at Clitters House with Keith and Barbara Shaw
	Summer Break
Outdoor EventsPilgrimages / Summer Visits by Coach
June, 2012	Summer Visit – Holy Well at St Clether	Visit, Talk and Cream Tea
23^rd June, 2012	Midsummer Eve Bonfire	ON KIT HILL
	Winter 2012
17^th September, 2012	A.G.M.	– with Speaker

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Bonfire 2011

Golowan Tansys

Midsummer Eve Bonfire 2011

Since 1929 Callington Old Cornwall Society has organised the Annual Midsummer Eve Bonfire on Kit Hill – originally a druid/pagan festival, it was adopted by Christians to become the Feast of St. John the Baptist Gol Jowan, hence Golowan Tansys (fire) in Cornish – war’n Vre an Skoul (Kit Hill).

Apart from the war years members of the O.C.S., have followed a ‘chain reaction’ from Land’s End, via Redruth, St. Columb, and this year St. Cleer near Liskeard, whose fire we saw from the summit, and took our cue to begin the ceremony at 10.00 p.m. thanks also to a link set up by the Callington Amateur Radio group.

Since our 80^thAnniversary in 2009, Callington O.C.S. Officers have met in the Spring, with Chrissie Le Marchant (Countryside Officer, Cornwall Council) and Jenny Heskett the Kit Hill Wardens, ably supported by Al Collins who built the bonfire with help from a group of willing students from the Duchy Collage – Dave Thomas, Reece Williams and George Loxton – together with Keith Shaw (Kaswydh) who helped to gather the wood and build the bonfire!

Callington Town Council has also been most supportive, particularly Cllr. Andrew Long of Mebyon Kernow (Sons of Cornwall) who chaired meetings to arrange a programme of entertainment to keep a crowd of 250 people happy! Particularly enjoyable was wonderful music from Rubber Band of Calstock, and the hot food and drinks from Peter Coombe, his wife and son from Dupath Well Farm. Also welcomed as special guests were the Mayor of Launceston Mr. Rob Tremain who is also the President of Launceston O.C.S., with his wife Pat, and Cannas Bardh Meur an Orseth Kernow – Deputy Grand Bard of the Gorsedd – Mrs. Maureen Fuller (Steren Mor – Star of the Sea).

Cllr. Long was ‘in charge of the microphone’, whilst the President of the Old Cornwall Society, Barbara Shaw (Mentenor a’n Ertach – Upholder of the Heritage) as Master of Ceremonies led the dignitaries through the Ceremony in Cornish and in English, starting with the Prayer for the Benediction of the Midsummer Bonfire given by the Rector of St. Mary’s Church, Rev. Peter Sharpe. The President then decreed that it was “the custom of our forefathers in days of old ….. to set the pyre at once on fire”, whilst the Lady of the Flowers – Mrs. Margaret Bailey (Myrgh Nans an Tamar – Daughter of the Tamar Valley) stated: “in one bunch bound flowers …. Both good and ill” ….. in particular the “wicked weeds let us kill” – whence the guest of honour (Mrs. Karen Gold – Mayor and Portreeve of Callington (Keeper of the Key) declared: “I set this pyre at once on fire; let flame aspire over many a parish!”

“Ass yw splann an tansys” – “what a splendid fire!” the President exclaimed, as the fire arose immediately to the heavens on the clearest night of the year – inspiring one and all to respond in Cornish “Bro Goth Agan Taves” – Old Land of our Fathers”. The National Anthem of Cornwall, which links Kernow with “Mamm Orseth” the Welsh “Mother Gorsedd” and “Gorsedd Breizh” the Breton Gorsedd – familiar to Callington Twinners who visit Guipavas – followed in stirring style by the well-loved Federation Anthem “Trelawny” – familiar also to Trelawny’s Army of rugby supporters, of course!

As the fire warmed their hearts, so did the traditional Cornish Sing-along – including “Up Camborne Hill” (!) and the very moving “White Rose”.

New members will be most welcome – news of our meetings, with important Guest Speakers, is published on the third Monday of each month from September to April.

Barbara Shaw – Mentenor a’n Ertach (Upholder of the Heritage),

An Presydent: Celliwic Kowethas Kernow Goth – President of Callington Old Cornwall Society.

gans Keith Shaw (Kaswydh – Shaw – a Copse) – Skrifenyas: Secretary.

Tel: 01579370344 e-mail: keithandbarbarashaw@btinternet.com

Bonfire 2010

All photos by Gill Naylor.

Click on photo to enlarge

1. The Rubber Band musicians 2. Rubber Band leading the procession. 3. Lantern Procession. 4. Fire Twirlers 5.The dying embers.

The Society held its Midsummer's Eve Bonfire ceremony at the top of Kit Hill on Wednesday, 23rd June. The fire was lit at 10.00 p.m.

Since 1929 Callington Old Cornwall Society has organised the Annual Midsummer Eve Bonfire on Kit Hill – originally a druidic/pagan festival, it was adopted by the Christian Church to become St. John’s Feast – Gol Jowan – hence Golowan Tansys in Cornish.

Apart from the war years members of the society, along with those from several other groups belonging to the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, form a chain of beacons down to the far west. On a clear evening we can see the fire from 10.00 p.m. near St Columb Major.

Last year Callington O.C.S. President, Keith Shaw (Kaswydh) and his wife Barbara (Mentenor a’n Ertach) the Secretary, held a celebratory 90^th Anniversary Garden Party. As a result the Kit Hill Warden, Chrissie Le Marchant, agreed to help us widen the scope of the celebrations, since our twenty active members are unable to carry the wood and build the bonfire – only Keith, Les Pierce (Past President and Recorder) together with Chrissie and Jenny Heskett, Kit Hill Wardens, who are generally available to help!

The Portreeve, Cllr. Rick Lumley was most supportive, so preliminary meetings were held in the Council Chamber in the Spring, chaired by Cllr. Andrew Long, to which members of various local groups including Callington O.C.S., Callington Rotary, Callington Amateur Radio, Tamar Valley AONB, Kit Hill Officers and Councillors were present to discuss arrangements.

THE PROGRAMME

1. A procession of lanterns, made by Callington Guides and Brownies, to the fire.

2. Music by a local group – Rubber Band

3. Lighting of the Bonfire after a signal from the Amateur Radio Club via a radio link to

other bonfires.

4. Singing of the Cornish anthems and Cornish songs.

5. A demonstration of ‘Fire Twirling’

During the evening Peter Coombe supplied hot food and drinks for the visitors. The St. John’s ambulance and a Callington Fire brigade unit were in attendance in the event of an emergency.

The President Keith Shaw welcomed 350 – 400 visitors and led the dignities through the ceremony in Cornish and English. The Guest of Honour was the newly installed Portreeve and Mayor Mrs. Karen Gold, the Prayer for the Benediction of the Midsummer Bonfire was given by the Reverend Marilyn Elliott of Stoke Climsland, in whose parish lies the summit of Kit Hill, whilst our charming Lady of the Flowers was Charly LeMarchant, whose bunch of flowers to be cast into the fire included “wicked weeds, fast withering, let this fire kill!” – together with beneficial which would prevail “thousand fold to let good seed spring”.

Also welcomed as special guests were the Presidents of Launceston (Rob Tremain), Liskeard (Duncan Matthews), Looe (John Enever) and Saltash (Ernie Reynolds) Old Cornwall Societies with their wives or guests.

It was a wonderful evening – many people commented on the history, the Cornish Language and the stirring Cornish Anthem “Bro Goth Agan Taves”, followed by the familiar Federation Anthem “Trelawny” – familiar to Trelawny’s Army of rugby supporters, of course, but many had not known about “Bro Goth”, which links Kernow with “Mamm Orseth” the Welsh “Mother Gorsedd” and “Gorsedd Breizh” the Breton Gorsedd – familiar to Callington Twinners who visit Guipavas.

New Members will be most welcome – news of our meetings, with important Guest Speakers, is published on the third Monday each month from September to April in the W.M.N. “What’s On”.

Barbara Shaw – Mentenor a’n Ertach (Upholder of the Heritage),

Skrifenyades – Celliwic Cowethas Kernow Goth

Secretary to Callington Old Cornwall Society.

Tel: 01579370344 e-mail: keithandbarbarashaw@btinternet.com

The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies is a Registered Charity. No. 247283

	Federation Events
	Federation Events
Federation Events 2012
Saturday 10th March	Federation Spring Meeting	County Hall, Truro
Saturday 14th July	Summer Festival	Truro
Saturday 6th October	Annual General Meeting	County Hall, Truro 2.pm
November 2011	Winter Festival	T.B.A.
Federation Journal published twice a year
Other Events
September 2012	Esethvos Kernow. Eisteddfod of Cornwall.	Camelford
1st September 2012	Gorsedd	Camelford

Officers

President : Mrs B A Shaw. Clitters House, Clitters, Callington, PL17 8HP. Tel: 01579 370344

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