VILLAGE CELEBRATION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17820, 1 July 1932, Page 4

VILLAGE CELEBRATION

CUSTOMS OF 7 CENTURIES AGO COMMEMORATION OF ABBEY’S FOUNDING LONDON, May 14. Tho unspoiled little Wiltshire village of La cock, near Chippenham, is to turn back the pages of history for 700 years in September of this year, when the founding of La cock Abbey, in 1232, is commemorated by a historical pageant. The be!” of a number of experts on English life in the thirteenth century has been enlisted and for the period of tho celebration Lacoek will live and dress, plav and work, as it did in the days of the Tudors. The Abbev was founded bv Ela. Countess of Salisbury, on the death of her husband, who was one of the founders of Salisbury Cathedral. It was hallowed in 1252 by the Bishop of Salisbury. When the monasteries were dissolved, it passed info the hands of Sir Wii'liam Rlmrington, Keener of the Mint at Bristol, who converted it info a dwelling house. For more than 350 vears it has been in the possession of the Talbot familv.

A great part of the original building is still intact, including the Saeristv, Chapter House. Dnv Room, Abbess sitting room and refectorv. Tho most nerfeet of the three existing copies of Henry Third’s confirmation of Magna Clrirta is preserved in tho Abbey. The feature of the celebration will bo a. pageant imitating as exactly as nossilde the original consecration service. The T.aeock villagers have entered enthusiastically into the spirit of the occasion and all wall be in thirteenth century dress. The present Bishou of Ronthampton will officiate at the hallowing ceremony. attired in the clerical dress of the period.

Amusements will include a tourney for kni edits mounted and on foot, displays of hawking, Morris, mnvpole and country dancing and exhibitions hv mummers, jugglers. wrestlers and a dancing bear. A dinner party is also bein'! arranged, at which the food will be that of the thirteenth century, cooked and eaten in the fashion of that period.