CelebrationsIt is no coincidence that the Sinodun Players - Wallingford's own dramatic society - had its roots in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell. For ours is a village with a strong theatrical streak. The History Group's archives offer glimpses of long-ago pageants, festivals and fund-raising events. A ladies' drama group dressed in national costumes of the allies after the Great War....'Living Whist' in the Red House garden in the 1920s...royal coronations and jubilees. Most recently, there have been many special celebrations to mark key anniversaries. Almost every village organisation found its own way to commemorate the Millennnium, and there was a Son et Lumiere in St Agatha's Church involving over seventy people. The event was updated and re-staged to raise money for a church extension in 2011 (pictured right).If you follow this link, you can see a copy of the script. The royal wedding of 2011 brought villagers out for a street party, and there were big celebrations for the Queen's Jubilee in 2012. The weekend of activities for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 can still be seen on video. The year 2013 saw a revival of an old tradition: Beating the Bounds. click here to read Jason Debney's illustrated account of the event and its background. |
