Banbury Hobby Horse Festival

Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,
To see a fine lady upon a white horse;
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes.

As I've pottered around England's canals in the last seven years, I've usually stumbled upon the aftermath of  one curiosity or another.  I never seem to be there in time; I'm always late or early.  It always happened last week, or it's going to happen next week, after I've passed by.  What I mean is, I usually miss it.

Granny's now been at Aynho for three months, in slow process of repair, so I've got to know this stretch of canal better than many areas, but I was still startled to see how lively Banbury was last weekend.  The town was taken over on Saturday afternoon by raucous hordes in ridiculous red and white costumes, swilling beer and jumping around ludicrously.

However, by Saturday night England was out of the World Cup and the town got a chance to enjoy the company of dancers and revellers at the Banbury Hobby Horse Festival instead.   

I only learned of it just as the festivalgoers were disappearing into the Town Hall for dinner, and as usual I missed the fun. But this time I had a second chance, so I returned the following morning.  Outside the Town Hall there were dancers aplenty, and hobby horses galore. 

The Town Crier, Mr Anthony Church, was showing curious bystanders his his staff of office and bell, and giving hearty demonstrations of his craft.  He says he has the right to cry out anywhere in Banbury.  Almost anywhere: "Except the Castle Quay shopping centre - they are allowed to keep me out", he said ruefully.   I said that the Town Crier seemed the ideal role for a retired Sergeant Major. "Yep, that's me!", he said proudly, and I think he mentioned his regiment, though I didn't catch it.

He pointed out the Mayor on the Town Hall steps, in his official chain but in shirtsleeves.  "A bit underdressed?", I asked.  "Oh, he'll dress properly when the time comes", said Mr Church. 

I spoke to the Mayor, John Donaldson, in between his official flesh-pressing.  Like every Banbury resident this weekend, Mr Donaldson seemed very proud of the Hobby Horse Festival, which is actually only in its sixth year.   But this newly invented festival is already drawing Morris 'sides' from all over the country, in what's becoming a giant two-day village festival.   

"We like to think of Banbury as a village, England's biggest village", Mr Donaldson told me with evident pride. 

If so, this village has more festivals than most.   For example, on October 1st there's the Banbury Canal Day, and only a couple of weeks later there's the Banbury Canalside Folk Festival.)   

Donaldson is a Conservative, but he's not conservative about one tradition:  this year, for the first time, he's abandoned the church service of thanksgiving prior to the procession.  I thought this was slightly sad, but on reflection it really is inevitable that church services are going to be squeezed out of these revived proto-pagan festivals.   A point underlined by the presence of an Asian element, including what appeared to be a hobby-elephant!   

I asked John Donaldson about the town's village's relationship to the canal.  He sounded to me like he didn't know too much about canals in general, but that he recognised the Oxford Canal was one of his village's best assets, and thus is one of the good guys.

The Mayor did eventually dress up - superbly so - in C17th costume (though I forgot to get a photo of him in this), and led a spirited parade through the streets to the public park. 

I was snapping away furiously, but to be honest my photos were something of a mess.   How do you photograph such a public day, when half the people participating are taking pictures as well, and the scene is just too... 'busy'?   The answer, I think, is to use a telephoto lens with a wide aperture and short depth of field.  And focus on small knots of people, as here, where Simon Pipe-Tobacco encouraged bystanders to pogo with him.   Never mind, one day I'll learn.

A fun day, a perfect day.  But it distracted me from my original plan, to go down to Oxford, to see the Castlemill boatyard site  and to talk to some of the affected residents. 

Still, I left the Festival early enough to return to Granny Buttons and finish off all my brass polishing.  Granny's mushroom vents are now the cleanest at Aynho Wharf, thanks to Brasso and Brass-Mate (I use both, and they have complementary benefits).  No to mention my own elbow grease, of course; it's tough sweaty work on a brilliant summer's day.

Comments

[Amanda Garrie (nee Walton)]

Mmmm as an old Banburian, it really saddens me to note the 'village' status. Bloody Tory twaddle. I think he got his knickers twisted up with Kidlington - which truly holds that card.

Banbury is/was the centre of 'Banburyshire': being the market town and registration district for a swathe of villages within and over the Oxfordshire county border. It has one of only a few remaining street fairs in the country, decreed by Royal Charter and held at Michaelmas - in October. The TOWN has the right to a market (also by Royal Decree) and used to have the biggest live cattle market in Europe.
Further to this, it (as you will know) is a significant stop on the Oxford to Birmingham canal. It also has a fairly major train station, that was larger by many lines when it transported coal, cattle and other comestibles.
This TOWN has a domed church, which replaced the vast spired one (known as the little cathedral), had its own Bluecoat School and a gaol.
Both the castle and the Reindeer Inn were significant in the English Civil War and the painting 'When did you last see your father' was painted here.
It had a printing and publishing industry, including that of the Quakers. Elizabeth Fry, Jonathan Swift and Samuel Pepys were well known here.
It was famous for plush manufactury, ale, cheese and cakes. It has a Cross second only to Charing Cross (and culturally more significant than St Giles')
It had a Borough rather than a Parish Council and is part of the Cherwell District.
It had three cinemas and a number of theatres, in its heyday and over 40 public houses.
It has a history of dissent and puritanism and features in many historical papers and literary pieces, including the obvious nursery rhyme and Solomon Grundy.

Convinced?

This bain't be no village! It en be a TOWN!

Still, I'm glad you enjoyed the HH Festival.

[Ramon Saumell Poch]

Good days: I am Ramon Saumell of Barcelona) am preparing an exhibition of ancient photographies, want if there is possible some Horse's ancient photography, for his(her,your) reproduction to 30 x 40 serious possible?

Thank you very much

Ramon Saumell

[Andrew Read]

they're holding a proper canal event tomorrow http://www.banburycanalday.CO.Uk