REVEL
an
extract from 'Week St. Mary Village - a
community at large'
written by David M Martin
regarding the Revel activities...
We
cannot afford to lose this ancient
event!!
The origins of the popular
annual Week St. Mary Revel are
lost in the mists of time
although we recall again John
Wesley's comment in his journal
for 15th September 1746;
"A guide, meeting us at
Camelford, conducted us to St.
Mary Week…. It was the time of
the yearly revel, which obliged
me to speak very plain".
The Harvest Queen is a fairly
new innovation. When Week St.
Mary Carnival ceased to be held
there was a lapse of some years
before the Harvest Queen was
crowned in Revel Week to take
the place of the former Carnival
Queen.
High up on the west face of the
church which was built in 1643
are three bands of carvings
depicting two hounds in full cry
after a hare. This could well
indicate a connection with the
Revel celebrations which have
always featured a hunt which met
in the square early in the
morning of Revel Monday.
This was followed by sports,
dancing to a band and fun for
the old and younger, including a
public tea and a service with a
visiting preacher in the
evening.
At one time there was a Revel
King who was drawn in a farm
cart sitting on a pumpkin. This
old custom was revived for one
year in 1937 when Jack Colwill,
sitting on a pumpkin, was
crowned 'King' by Rev Hambrook.
The King's identity was kept
strictly secret until the last
moment, adding spice to the
occasion.
In former days, celebrations
were confined to the Sunday and
Monday following the feast day
of the patron saint, St. Mary
the Virgin. Revel is remembered
with great affection by the
older inhabitants of the
village, not least because Revel
Monday meant a day off school.
It was a day when any absent
member of a family would make a
special effort to come home. |
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The following song was written
by Wilfred Rablen, Int.Mus.Bac.,
F.R.C.O. He was Headmaster of
Week St. Mary Council School
from about 1903 until the middle
of the World War I. He was very
musical forming a school choir
and entering pupils for some of
the County Music Festivals. The
song certainly gives a cheery
start to Revel time and we are
indebted to the late Mrs
Vedrenne for producing it. |
WEEK ST. MARY HARVEST HUNT AND
REVEL
Rise and sing
this happy morning:
Hail with joy the festal day.
Week St. Mary holds her revel,
Mount your steeds and ride away.
Join the huntsmen on the
moorland,
Parsons, Doctors, Farmers all.
Greet with smiles each jovial
sportsman,
Short and fat, and thin and
tall.
Refrain:
Shout hurrah! for
Week St. Mary:
Shout hurrah! for Revel day.
Jolly boys and buxom maidens
Mount your steeds and ride away!
Ladies fair, with shining
tresses
Gaily decked, shall grace our
band.
Come my lads, and bring your
sweethearts,
Fairest beauties in the land.
Farmer Bunt shall blow the
bugle:
Doctor Dick will sing a song.
Hark! the merry bells are
pealing.
Get your horses: come along.
Then when all the sport is over
And o'er earth the shadows
steal,
To the dear old church we'll
wander
Where the Village ringers peal:
Join in harvest hymn and anthem
While the mellow organ rolls:
Render thanks for village
comforts,
Pleasant homes and happy souls. |
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