HUBCAST What's On Devon Winter 17

Ottery St Mary's
TAR BARRELS
It's not known when the tradition started, the Tar
Barrels is supposed to have been triggered by the
Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The West Country has a long
history of burning barrels and torch lit processions,
which occurred in the towns and villages across the
centuries. No doubt the absence of TV and internet
would give you lots of time to get out to socialise
within the community. Heaven forbid if you stayed in
to wash your hair, the locals may have branded you
a witch (or wizard, let us not be accused of political
hubcast
incorrectness here!). Perhaps this would be another
excuse for some pyromaniacal entertainment, witches
(not sure about wizards) were burnt at the stake.
There's no doubting the primal human buzz we all
get from flaring orange flames and spitting, crackling
wood as it burns, particularly on dark and cold winter
evenings, fire is an elemental force that would be one
of our earliest allies.
Getting back to the Tar Barrels, a huge fire is lit,
barrels are carried atop the shoulders of the 'chosen'
people and a variety of food and drink stalls line the
route from the town, down to the bonfire. Don't miss
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