jkd
23rd September 2009, 06:23 PM
Another quant British custom;
Ottery St. Mary Tar Barrels, Nov. 5
The town typically stages annual events around Guy Fawkes Night (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night) when, in a tradition dating from the 17th century, barrels soaked in tar are set alight and carried aloft through parts of the town by residents.
Generations of the same family have been known to compete across the years and it is thought that the event may have originated as a means of warding off evil spirits. It has also been suggested that the tradition may have started when the Black Death (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death) entered the town. In those days cannons (ten pipe strikers using gunpowder) were said to have been employed to scare the rats carrying the plague out of the houses and into the street. Burning barrels were then rolled through the street to kill the rats before being picked up and moved to the next street. The dead rats were gathered and thrown on a big bonfire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonfire) at the end of the town.
Apparently there is some drinking involved. Who would have thought?:rolleyes:
John
Ottery St. Mary Tar Barrels, Nov. 5
The town typically stages annual events around Guy Fawkes Night (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night) when, in a tradition dating from the 17th century, barrels soaked in tar are set alight and carried aloft through parts of the town by residents.
Generations of the same family have been known to compete across the years and it is thought that the event may have originated as a means of warding off evil spirits. It has also been suggested that the tradition may have started when the Black Death (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death) entered the town. In those days cannons (ten pipe strikers using gunpowder) were said to have been employed to scare the rats carrying the plague out of the houses and into the street. Burning barrels were then rolled through the street to kill the rats before being picked up and moved to the next street. The dead rats were gathered and thrown on a big bonfire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonfire) at the end of the town.
Apparently there is some drinking involved. Who would have thought?:rolleyes:
John