Today might have been King Harold Day, or it might have been next Saturday, or maybe next Wednesday. But a force which none of us expected and which none of us can control thought otherwise.
So here, just to induce a little nostalgia, some good memories, and some hope for the future is the report of the King Harold Commemoration 2018.
“KING HAROLD COMMEMORATION 2018
“How lucky we were with the weather yesterday for the King Harold Commemoration – thank goodness it wasn’t today. The sun shone and it was amazingly warm for October. Only problem was the wind making some of the tents pretty precarious and the Anglo Saxon flag on our HQ tent flapping round and round the pole.
“For the second year running, because of site problems, we ran a rather smaller event, but the Abbey and its Churchyard proved an ideal venue.
“Phil and I arrived at 07.30 and began by unloading my car. We had several sack barrows and a splendid large trolley which Phil had borrowed, but even so with the up and down between the car and our spot at the rear of the Abbey, over and over again, I felt I had done a full day before we even started.
“Because of that strong wind, getting our tent up was a bit of a problem, and as others began to arrive they were in some difficulty too. But we were all ready to go just before 11.00 as I welcomed all the visitors and introduced the first item, the performance of the specially-written play, “The Falcon’s Flight”, about King Harold’s daughter, Gytha.
“It is an ambulatory play, meaning the various scenes are set in about 12 different places around the Abbey and outside near the Cornmill Stream, and the audience moves round with the actors.
“Next we began the actual Commemoration and were pleased to welcome the Chairman of Epping Forest District Council, Cllr Richard Bassett, and his wife Sue, and the Mayor of Waltham Abbey, Cllr Jeane Lea, together with three members of the Abbey clergy: Rector The Rev’d Peter Smith, The Rev’d Canon Joyce Smith, and The Rev’d Alexandra Guest. Geoffrey Littlejohn of the English Companions recited the Anglo Saxon lament “The Wanderer” in Old English; and I read “Waltham Whispers”, written two years ago by Keely Mills when she was Poet in Residence at the Museum.
“The flower placing ceremony was lovely. For the second year we used single red roses placed by representatives of those organizations taking part. And, of course, our Junior King Harold, Matthew, was there to place a rose, having now reached the grand old age of nine. The Rector then spoke and blessed one and all, bringing the first part of the event to a close.
“The various stalls had been open since 11.00 and continued to be well patronized.
“At 13.00 Chingford Morris Men danced for a large audience near the Great South Door of the Abbey.
“Within the Church there was a lunch-time Music Recital, two guided tours of the Abbey and the Tower was open in the afternoon for those adventurous enough and with enough energy to climb to the top and enjoy views over the town and out to Epping Forest.
“Then it was back to ground level for the second performance of the play for a new audience.
“At 15.30 the sack barrows appeared again to transport all that equipment back to the cars, and eventually we all got home, exhausted but pleased with an excellent day.
“Thank you to all our visitors for coming to see us. Thank you to the various groups who had stalls or who took part in the day. Thank you to the Abbey Church for both its great support of the event and for allowing us the use of the Churchyard. Thank you to Waltham Abbey Town Council for all its help with promotion, the use of the Tourist Information Office, and particularly to Keith and his team for cutting all the grass and removing brambles, nettles, etc.
“Finally, my thanks to Isabelle Perrichon, Phil Chadburn, Pat Brooks and Tony O’Connor. We couldn’t ask for a better Committee. The way they all worked and toiled yesterday was quite amazing.
“Another 14 October has come and gone, and we in Waltham Abbey have marked the tragic death of our Lord of the Manor, King Harold II, the last Anglo Saxon King of England.
“We will mark this occasion in our town, which was his town, every year.”
(Tricia)
King Harold Day 