Grasmere Village 2018

Another year nearly gone. Another year where other commitments have overtaken writing my blog. Let’s have a look at what has been happening in the village this year through photographs I have posted on Twitter (yes I do still have time to do that so to keep up to date you could follow @grasmerevillage).

Mixed weather this year. Long periods of sunshine during the Summer then torrential rain in Autumn. Rushbearing Day was beautiful. Grasmere Sports Day was wet, wet, wet.

Our newly rendered church tower looked good in the sunshine, as did our new Farmers Market, which has proved a great hit with locals and visitors alike.

A snowy Dunmail Raise

Snowdrops at Wordsworth’s Grave

Cheeky Little Robin

Snowmen at the River Rothay

Broadgate Grasmere

Grasmere Co-op Joke

Grasmere Sports Field

Dunmail Raise

Grasmere Church

Grasmere Market

Grasmere Market

Heaton Cooper Studio

Designs on Japan Exhibition

Grasmere Maidens

Grasmere Rushbearing Maidens

Grasmere Rushbearing

St. Oswald’s Rushbearing

Grasmere Market

Grasmere Summer Weather

Broadgate Grasmere

Grasmere Sports

Hounds Grasmere Sports

Church Stile Grasmere

Tour of Britain Grasmere School

Tour of Britain Grasmere

Allan Bank Grasmere

Allan Bank Grasmere

Dancing on the green Grasmere

Lest we forget. Grasmere

Helm Crag Grasmere

Open Top Bus Grasmere

Broadgate Grasmere

St Oswald’s Church Grasmere

Allan Bank Evening

Rainbow Grasmere

Rainbow Sam Reads

Church Stile Autumn

Stock Lane Grasmere

Remembrance Day Grasmere

Allan Bank walk Grasmere

Allan Bank Walk

Allan Bank Tunnel

Allan Bank Tunnel

Xmas crafts Heaton Cooper

Gingerbread House

A Year in Grasmere Village 2016

Another year gone, and a round up of what happened in Grasmere Village in 2016. It was a year many won’t forget in a hurry. We might be a small village but there is always something going on. Especially this year, Prince and Prime Minister, Cyclists and Wrestlers it was all happening this year.

JANUARY

National Trust Allan Bank

After the stress and strain of Storm Desmond it was lovely to discover that a sunny photograph of National Trust Property Allan Bank graced the front of the 2016 Handbook. A great advert for the village.

Broadgate Grasmere

Unfortunately things were very quiet in the village. The main A591 closed between Grasmere and Keswick and the village literally a cul-de-sac. Various initiatives like free parking were offered but it really was deserted as you wandered round.

David Cameron Grasmere

We had a visit from the then Prime Minister David Cameron spotted in the school playground.

FEBRUARY

February in Grasmere

Snow on the tops in February and then on lower ground too.

Snowy Grasmere

Valentine’s Day visit to the Dove Cottage restaurant was a surprise with a cherry “heart” when I cut my cake. Very appropriate and tasty too!.

Valentine’s cake

Meanwhile the environment agency were dredging the River Rothay, taking care to not disturb the crayfish, and these canoeists were quick to take advantage of a new launching area into the river. Storm Desmond was still having it’s effect.

Canoeists River Rothay

After a dismal Winter signs of Spring were appearing with snowdrops and Daffodils at Wordsworth’s Grave.

Daffodils and snowdrops

MARCH

The rubble that was piling up on the Sports Field after all the dredging was a perfect viewpoint for this cheeky Herdwick.

Grasmere Herdwick

Elsewhere in Grasmere and throughout the central Lakes Herdwick sheep of a different kind were appearing as part of the Calvert Trust Go Herdwick fund raising initiative.

Grasmere Go Herdy

Temporary bridges were built on the A591 and a little mini bus started running between Grasmere and Keswick, my goodness it was popular! It ran along the far side of Thirlmere and became quite a tourist attraction in itself.

Keswick bus queue

We had another famous visitor. Prince Charles visited with a trip to the Gingerbread Shop, Wordsworth’s Grave and St Oswald’s Church.

Prince Charles

Prince Charles Grasmere

It certainly made the village busier.

APRIL

Spring in Grasmere

April and things were looking up in the village both visitor and weather wise.

Grasmere Daffodil Garden

MAY

An exciting initiative in May brought coloured lights to the mere. Nocturnal Rainbows as part of Lakes Ignite Art installation.

Lights on Grasmere

As the tourist season started properly it was still a case of getting the message out everywhere that Grasmere was open for business.

Grasmere is Open

Grasmere does look great in May, blossom and bluebells.

Grasmere Blossom

Bannerigg Woods were a sea of blue.

Grasmere Bluebells

And then at last! Dunmail Raise was open and Grasmere was connected with the North again. Hello Keswick we missed you.

Dunmail Raise reopens

Diessen Brass Band (twinned with Windermere) performed at NT Allan Bank and the music echoed through the valley.

Diessen Brass Band

JUNE

Grasmere celebrated The Queen’s 90th Birthday.

Grasmere Celebrates

The village looked lovely with flags flying everywhere.

Singing in the Village Hall

Grasmere Glee celebrated in the Village Hall.

Kendal Mountain Festival kindly brought outdoor cinema to Grasmere and Glenridding to support the flooded villages. The weather was kind and a great time was had by young and old alike.

Outdoor Cinema Grasmere

JULY

July in Grasmere means Rushbearing. A rather wet one this year and the Rushbearing Maidens had a rather soggy walk round the village but kept smiling.

Grasmere Rushbearing

But it wasn’t all rain in July, the sun shone too.

Sunny Grasmere

AUGUST

August Bank Holiday and the 166th Grasmere Sports and Show. After a night of rain morning broke fair and a good turnout of visitors and locals alike enjoyed the Sports and entertainment on the Sports field.

Grasmere Sports Poster

Competitors travelled from all over the world to compete.

Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling

Fire eating was a popular spectator event.

Fire eating Grasmere

SEPTEMBER

Cycling came to Grasmere in September when the Tour of Britain sped through the village.

Tour of Britain Grasmere

The village was decorated with painted yellow bikes.

Yellow Bikes Grasmere

OCTOBER

Devilish Sheep

Halloween in Grasmere meant an abundance of Pumpkins throughout the village.

National Trust Shop Grasmere

Unfortunately Halloween weekend itself was a bit of a washout and the pumpkins on the village green looked a bit bedraggled.

Gingerbread Pumpkins

Liked these pumpkins outside the Gingerbread shop.

NOVEMBER

Nights drawing in and streets empty by 5pm as the clocks change. Locals practice a form of reverse hibernation and suddenly you bump into friends in the street who have had heads down all Summer working hard to make our visitors to Grasmere enjoy their stay.

I was very, very lucky to win a holiday to South Africa for most of November so from 24 degrees to -4 degrees, however what a sight as we arrived back.

Grasmere Sheep

What a great welcome home!

DECEMBER

December in Grasmere, what a joy.

Taffy Thomas

You never know who will be about, Taffy Thomas former Storyteller Laureate was having a wander round the village with some student teachers.

Xmas in NT Shop Grasmere

The shops have a huge array of individual gifts you can’t find in the larger towns.

Beetham Bellringers

A wander up the hill to National Trust Allan Bank and the sound of bells were ringing out as the Beetham Bellringers played. Very festive.

Just time to put the Christmas tree complete with Herdy bobbles up and that’s nearly it for another Grasmere year. Grasmere Players Pantomime still to see, always a great family occasion.

Herdy xmas tree

Wishing all my readers a Merry Christmas and Health and Happiness for the coming year.

Grasmere Rushbearing 2016

Grasmere Rushbearing 2016 was rather a wet one. It became obvious fairly early on in the day that the rain wasn’t going to ease up.

 

Grasmere Rushbearing Maiden

With good spirit everyone dressed for the weather and started to parade through the town.

Procession passes along Churchstile

I thought the owner of Bridge House Hotel in the centre of this photo looked rather happy about something and later discovered she had become a Grandmother for the second time very early that morning!

Singing the Rushbearing Hymn

Normally everyone gathers on the village green to sing the traditional Rushbearing hymns but the ground was a bit soggy so a stop was made on College Street instead.

 

Grasmere Rushbearing Maidens

I couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for the Rushbearing maidens. While everyone else had the benefit of a waterproof coat they had to tough it out in traditional costume.

A rather wet Rushbearing

I noticed more than one person dashing in to Lucia’s for a takeaway coffee to warm up with.

Children in the parade

Time to head back to St Oswald’s Church

Bearings and Umbrellas

I think umbrellas brighten up the parade on a rainy day.

Processing down Church Stile Grasmere

Taffy Thomas the storyteller always has a good view point from the Storytellers Garden.

A welcome sight

Back at church and time to get inside and dry off before a welcome cup of tea.

Grasmere Rushbearing Parade

Now all the time I was watching there was one thing that I kept thinking. How heavy must the cloth the Rushbearing Maidens were carrying have got as it was absolutely sodden by the end.

Grasmere Rushbearing Maidens 2016

So well done girls you did a great job!

Anyone who wants to see photos of sunny Rushbearing parades need look no further than this blog. You win some and you lose some but no matter the weather the show goes on.

 

Grasmere Rushbearing 2015

Doesn’t time fly past. Another year another Rushbearing Ceremony in Grasmere.

Hope Rules A Land Forever Green

I have written about the history of Grasmere Rushbearing many times in this blog, but it never fails to be one of my favourite days in the village.

Grasmere Rushbearing 2015

After a weather forecast that wasn’t looking good at all, the procession took place with dry weather. I was actually at work but dashed down the hill to view the procession and take some photos. I always have a dilemma about where to stand but my good friend Taffy the Grasmere Storyteller took the decision out of my hands when he offered a cup of tea in the Storytellers Garden to enjoy while watching.

Enjoying a cuppa with Taffy

A great Lake District tradition begins.

Hold these banners high

And here comes the band.

Here comes the band

Villagers young and old(er) took part.

Children enjoy the parade

Even our local thespian Doctor takes part. Still can’t forget his performance as Toad of Toad Hall in Grasmere Players production a few years ago.

As always the highlight of the parade are the Rushbearing Maidens.

Rushbearing Maidens 2015

Rushbearing Maidens

Through the village they process until they reach Moss Parrock in the centre of the village for the Rushbearing hymn. Back through the village again to the Church.

Return journey

Alex who was holding the cross at the start of the parade had been baking scones all day at National Trust Allan Bank and literally ran down the hill to take part. He looks amazingly relaxed! By now these bearings feel heavier and heavier!.

Back to church

The Rev’d Cameron Butland leads the way back to church for the Rushbearing service. A little bird tells me this may be his last Grasmere Rushbearing Parade.

Grasmere Rushbearing 2015

So another Rushbearing Parade escaped the rain! See you in 2016.

A good friend who I met through the wonders of Twitter @Loftylion9 was watching the parade with me. She took the beautiful shot below and gave me permission to use it.

Rushbearing Maidens

Below is a link to the history of Rushbearing that I previously wrote on this blog.

https://grasmerevillage.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/grasmere-rushbearing-ceremony

Grasmere Rushbearing 2011

Living in the Lake District you do quite often get slightly fed up with the weather. Ok we all say “well you wouldn’t have the lakes if you didn’t have the rain” but sometimes it would be nice to wake up, pull back the curtains and see the sun shining!.

Rushbearing Maidens 2011

Grasmere Rushbearing is one such day. So much work goes into the preparation for this traditional Lakeland event that it’s fingers crossed all round for fine weather.

Preparing the bearings

So guess what ? yet again this year it was raining. For the past few days the little tractor had been chugging backwards and forwards to the church full of rushes from the lake side. Everyone carried on getting ready, with more than a few glimpses towards the sky.

Here they come

Then as so often happens, right at the last minute, the skies cleared.

Rushbearing Maidens

There were still a few spectators balancing umbrellas but there was nothing like the torrential downpour that had started the day.

Taffy Thomas Storyteller Laureate

The great thing about Rushbearing is that everyone takes part. Taffy Thomas who is the current Storyteller Laureate had just finished doing an event in the storytellers garden and was watching the procession while clutching that other Grasmere tradition Grasmere gingerbread!

Happy Villagers

With being a busy tourist village, during the summer months it’s a case of heads down and on with work, but on this day we all come out and celebrate. Being in the tourist industry we tend to do a reverse hibernation. Don’t see anyone in the summer as so busy working, then come winter we all appear and have time to catch up.

Local Hotelier Josie.

One new adidtion to Rushbearing was spotted in the National Trust Information Centre. They have produced a greetings card and postcard of the Rushbearing painting by Frank Bramley RA which although purchased by public subscription by the villagers of Grasmere is in the care of National Trust.

Rushbearing by Frank Bramley RA

Frank Bramley married Katherine Graham from Huntingstile Grasmere in 1891, hence his link with the village. He was a member of the Newlyn School of Artists. Newlyn was a small fishing village in Cornwall where the light was considered particularly good for painting outdoors. He started the Rushbearing painting in about 1900 and it took him four years to complete. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1905. The painting is seldom seen, however I do hear that there may be plans to let the public view it during next year’s Rushbearing.

Traditional Bearings

The Rushbearing procession winds it’s way round the village with a brief stop at Moss Parrock before heading back to St. Oswald’s Church. I don’t think many people realise just how heavy some of these bearings can be.

Young villagers at Rushbearing

It is great to see such an ancient tradition being celebrated each year and to see the younger children enjoying themselves as much as their parents and grandparents did in the past. For more information about the history of Rushbearing please see the post I did earlier in this blog.

Grasmere Rushbearing 2011

Grasmere Rushbearing Ceremony

I had never heard of Rushbearing until I moved to the Ambleside area many years ago.  My first introduction was when my son was young and I was informed that it was traditional to take part in the rushbearing parade with a decorated pram, oh and the best place to collect rushes very early in the morning was at Waterhead on the shores of Windermere Lake. It was a sharp but enjoyable learning curve, and my introduction to a very historic tradition.

Rushbearing Maidens at Grasmere.

Ambleside and Grasmere Rushbearing vary slightly but the general concept has remained the same for many centuries. It is a relic from the days when churches and other buildings had earthen floors. Rushes were collected from beside the lake and strewn on the floor for cleanliness and warmth. The custom is no longer needed as Grasmere church  has now had a flagged floor since 1841, but has been preserved as a village festival. It is the one thing that all villagers take part in from the youngest to the oldest.

Bearings being carried to the start.

Even the teenagers take part with pride. It may be the allure of Rushbearing sports and Gingerbread afterwards but even the boys hold the decorated floral bearings high.

Even the prams are decorated.

The two uses for the reeds and rushes show two different strands in the festival history.Firstly, carrying floral decorations in a procession had it’s origins in either the Roman pageant in honour of the Goddess Flora, or in even older Celtic summer rituals. Secondly the aforementioned more practical reason of carpeting the church floor.

Grasmere Rushbearing postcard

I collect postcards of Grasmere Rushbearing and this one shows how little the ceremony has changed over the years.

The Gold cross.

While personal bearings tend to be made early in the morning, the larger bearings are a real labour of love and take several days to work on. This year will prove a particular trial as we have had an extremely warm and dry summer. Rushes are easiest to work when they are not so dry and therefore more pliable. The first bearing in the procession is the Gold Cross. This is made from at least 400 blooms.

Carrying bearings.

Other bearings are simply “set off” with flowers. Originally it was taboo to use anything other than wild flowers, but gradually over the years cultivated flowers have appeared. They make the rushbearings look brighter and with so many wild flower species threatened it makes sense.

Procession reaches Broadgate.

The procession starts at the village school in Stock Lane and winds it’s way round the village to the village green where there is a short service and singing.

The Village Green.

Many of the bearings are traditional emblems that appear year after year. Moses in the bullrushes, St. Oswalds hand, with the message “May this hand never perish”, and the serpent (satan), and hoops, (symbols of eternity). The one I like just says “Peace” and was introduced after the First World War.

Maypole

A maypole for the younger children to parade with, makes a lovely spectacle. (aren’t policemen getting younger all the time!”.

Rushbearing Maiden.

The thing that makes Grasmere Rushbearing unique are the Rushbearing Maidens. Usually chosen from the older girls in school, six are chosen to carry a hand woven linen sheet, trimmed with rushes, as the focal point of the procession.

Grasmere Rushbearing Maidens.

After processing round the village, bearers, led by the clergy, choir, rushbearing maidens with their sheet, the banner of St Oswald and the band playing what is known as “Jimmy Dawson’s March” the procession arrives at St Oswald’s church for a short service. Three Rushbearing hymns are sung. “The hymn for St Oswald”, “The hymn for the Rushbearers” and “The hymn for the Rushbearing” by Canon Rawnsley one of the founders of the National Trust.

Old postcard, Rushbearing at Grasmere.

In Grasmere Village Hall there is a beautiful painting of the Rushbearing by Frank Bramley,R.A. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1913. The painting is in the care of the National Trust and sadly out of sight most of the time behind wooden shutters for security. Every individual in the painting sat for their portrait. Mr Bramley lived at Tongue Ghyll in Grasmere for many years. There is a tablet in his memory in the Church above the belfry door.

Taking photos, Grasmere Rushbearing.

Like these people taking photos, hopefully one day, you too might experience this wonderful piece of living history, unique to Grasmere Village. And a final word. Yes some of these bearings are extremely heavy!.

Grasmere Rushbearing is on the 16th July 2011