Huntingdon Fete is going to be held on Saturday 16th July this year, from 3pm to 5pm - and it might be the very last one!
I've been invited to a couple of the Fetes over the past few years, to dress up in medieval costume and do spinning and weaving, and it was a lovely afternoon each time, with excellent teas and interesting stalls and a real family atmosphere, all in the grounds of the big house, Huntingdon Court.
According to the B&R, this will be the 57th annual Fete, since the very first one was held by Dorothy Jack and her husband the local GP to help raise funds for the local church, one of the very few in the country named for St Thomas Becket, as well as Huntingdon Castle and the local United Reform Church. Since then, they've raised thousands of pounds for good causes. Dorothy Jack is 96 this year, and about to move into Kington Court, so the house will be sold.
Huntingdon is a tiny community - only 85 inhabitants - yet they attract visitors to the fete from all over the area, even as far away as Rhayader and Presteigne. I hope they can find somewhere to carry on the tradition next year.
Showing posts with label Huntington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Huntington. Show all posts
Monday, 11 July 2011
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Huntington Fete
"This is Gossip Day," one lady said to me as we watched the people crowded round the little cafe tables outside the big house. The Fete is held every year in the grounds of the Court, and it was a fine turnout for such a tiny village. There was even a minibus from a day care centre. It's on the other side of the river from Hay, up narrow winding lanes the other side of Brilley, and was once the chief residence of the de Braose family, who also owned Hay.
I'd arrived early, as I got a lift up, so I saw the table in the room next to the kitchen groaning with sandwiches, sponge cakes, scones and other goodies before the hordes arrived. It all went - when I was asked if I'd like a cake, there were only a few Welsh cakes left!
It's a lovely old house, and I'd guess that the room where the food was set out was once the servant's hall - there was still a box with bells on the wall, marked Front Door, Drawing Room and Dining Room.
I was dressed up in my medieval finery as Elen the Weaver, to demonstrate spinning, weaving and lucetting. I set out my blanket underneath a thick overhanging bush - there was rain just before the fete opened, and I didn't want all my equipment to get too wet. I was quite all right in my velvet cloak. I had great fun, and talked to some interesting people - some of whom spin or knit or do other crafts themselves, which always adds to the interest for me. I think I worried one gentleman - I explained to him that the pink ribbon around my distaff meant that I was looking for a man, and that the fact that my head was uncovered meant that I was not respectable - and then I asked him if he had a castle and lands.
There were the usual stalls you get at little fetes, the White Elephant, Tombola, a rather good plant stall, a book stall and so on - and a lot of bottles of wine were coming from somewhere. They also had a little black ewe and her two lambs for a guess the weight (of all three together) competition, and a guess the number of sweets in the jar competition.
It was a lovely afternoon - and I hope I'm invited back next year!
I'd arrived early, as I got a lift up, so I saw the table in the room next to the kitchen groaning with sandwiches, sponge cakes, scones and other goodies before the hordes arrived. It all went - when I was asked if I'd like a cake, there were only a few Welsh cakes left!
It's a lovely old house, and I'd guess that the room where the food was set out was once the servant's hall - there was still a box with bells on the wall, marked Front Door, Drawing Room and Dining Room.
I was dressed up in my medieval finery as Elen the Weaver, to demonstrate spinning, weaving and lucetting. I set out my blanket underneath a thick overhanging bush - there was rain just before the fete opened, and I didn't want all my equipment to get too wet. I was quite all right in my velvet cloak. I had great fun, and talked to some interesting people - some of whom spin or knit or do other crafts themselves, which always adds to the interest for me. I think I worried one gentleman - I explained to him that the pink ribbon around my distaff meant that I was looking for a man, and that the fact that my head was uncovered meant that I was not respectable - and then I asked him if he had a castle and lands.
There were the usual stalls you get at little fetes, the White Elephant, Tombola, a rather good plant stall, a book stall and so on - and a lot of bottles of wine were coming from somewhere. They also had a little black ewe and her two lambs for a guess the weight (of all three together) competition, and a guess the number of sweets in the jar competition.
It was a lovely afternoon - and I hope I'm invited back next year!
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