Gorseth Kernow

The Cornish Gorseth 1928 - 2008

De Sadorn an 6ves Mys Gwyngala 2008. Saturday 6th September 2008.

This year’s ceremony will be held at Barbican Sports Field, Barbican Road, Looe.

Looe ( Cornish Logh a pool or inlet of water) is an ancient town split in two by the Looe River. The original settlement was deep inside the estuary at the confluence of the East and the West Looe rivers at Shute, now Shutta from whence the road climbs through the present Sunrising Estate, past St.Martins church towards Torpoint and Saltash. This small settlement was hidden from the sea and legend has it that Joseph of Aramathea traded here leaving the boy Jesus playing on the beach of Looe Island.

The more modern twin-town of Looe, the bailiwick of Otto de Bodrigan, was extant in C13th and both parts received royal charters. East Looe retained the name, West Looe was formerly known as Port Pighan, Port Byhan. Each half of the town had its Church, St.Mary’s in East Looe , now converted to flats and St.Nichollas in the West, and for luck a Chapel was built on the ancient thirteen arch bridge spanning the river, lower down than the bridge that replaced it. The west abutment of the old bridge remains on the quayside, but no trace is discernable of the east abutment, which must have disappeared when the shops and dwellings were built at the base of the cliff . A road leads up from opposite the late 19th century New Guildhall which possibly connected to the old bridge as the road itself connects halfway up Shutta via North Road and Daw(e)s Lane.

The quays themselves were used to load shipping with copper, tin, arsenic, bismuth and granite and were served from the Caradon area by packhorse, later by canal and then by the railway, still existing although truncated.

A small Catholic church was erected on West Looe Hill being an outpost of Schlerder Abbey still in use today and situated mid-way between Looe and Polperro.. In the late 19th century many chapels were erected in the town, but only one is now left, the others taken over by business or converted to dwellings. The original boundaries of Town of Looe were not vast, no more than two to three hundred feet either side of the river with an appendage formed of the area of West Looe Hill, the earliest main road to Polperro and the West, and also on the east side Shutta itself.

There are three wells in East Looe, St.Martins or Our Lady Well, off Daw(e)s Lane, St.Anne’s on Shutta Road and St.Mary’s on Barbican Hill. There is no evidence that these were ever Holy Wells. East Looe boasts an Old Guildhall, part dating from the 15th Century, now the Town Museum and the “Banjo” pier developed by Joseph Thomas from an old groyne. Near the bottom of Barbican Hill is a crossroads which was another exit from Looe. This was called Eastcliffe skirting the coast through Plaidy and Kellow and on through Bucklawren, towards Torpoint. The road is now severed by cliff falls, a footpath remains.

Guildhall and Banjo Pier

Both Boroughs returned two members of Parliament, but in Victorian times were declared “Rotten Boroughs” and were demoted to an Urban District under Liskeard, but later in their own right.

The present area of West Looe developed by Joseph Thomas at the end of the 1800’s and known as the Hannafore West Estate was in Talland Parish, anywhere east of the Looe Town boundary and north of Shutta on the East was in St. Martins. All this has now changed, all of Looe, including Hannafore now comes under the Parish of St. Martins with East and West Looe. It is governed by Looe Town Council under the umbrella of Caradon District Council, but change is in the air once more.

The present town is a tourist mecca, with many eating establishments, souvenir shops and the town beach. Few of the traditional shops remain either side of the river.

The flourishing Looe Old Cornwall Society, established in 1927, aims to preserve the character of Looe which has Conservation Area status, by tending the wells, gathering information and photographs, recording the views and experiences of elderly and knowledgeable citizens, and celebrating the great engineering genius of Joseph Thomas. It has revived Looe’s annual "Crying the Neck Ceremony" celebrating the last of the harvest.

The Society is grateful to the Local Heritage Initiative, which has enabled many of the buildings in the Conservation area to be re-furbished.

Civic Reception in the Town Center

This is not organised by Gorseth Kernow but by the His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Ron Overd. The Grand Bard and Deputy Grand Bard will be his guests. This ceremony is to welcome the Gorsedd to the town. It is hoped that local Bards will join the ceremony which will commence at the Rose Garden at 11.OO am.

Car parking for bards. There is limited free parking near the site and at the school. Public car parks in the town may not have available spaces. Coaches can park by the school but if coming by coach please say so on your booking form.

Public attendance is FREE and welcome and it is hoped that visitors will regard the ceremony as a mark of the unique difference between Cornwall and the shire counties of England. The ceremony will be conducted by the Grand Bard, Mrs Vanessa Beeman, Gwenenen, assisted by the Gorsedd Officers.

Public Transport

For National Rail Enquiries: call www.nationalrail.co.uk Booking tickets by phone: call Train services from Liskeard to Looe are approximately hourly.

Public transport information for Cornwall can be obtained from the Passenger Transport Unit of Cornwall County Council. For a copy of the All Cornwall Transport Guide call (01872) 322003, email, or order online. Traveline is also a useful resource for travel information in Cornwall, call 0871 200 2233 or log onto www.traveline.info.

www.westerngreyhound.com www.firstgroup.com
www.truronian.co.uk www.cornwall.gov.uk

Western Greyhound service 572 from East Looe bridge passes the school on its way to Plymouth at approximately hourly intervals. Telephone or the Looe TIC (open 7 days).

The Gorseth site: Barbican Sports Field

The route from the main roads will be marked by black and yellow Gorseth Kernow signs.

Seating: The chairs forming the Bardic circle are for Bards and Dignitaries only. Visitors can view the ceremony from the outside of the circle of Bardic chairs, and are asked not to intrude into the Bardic circle.

Wet Weather: In the event of wet weather, the Gorsedd will take place in Looe Community School

Photography: No photographers will be allowed in the circle during the ceremony.

Stalls: A number of official stalls at the site will be selling Cornish language books and Cornish memorabilia on the day. Details from Keskerdh Kernow, PO Box 28,Redruth or call Jenefer Lowe tel .

Dehwelans will also be running stalls in the week from 1st September, for details contact Edwina Hannaford , The Haven, Barbican Hill, Looe. PL13 1BQ. Tel

Exhibitions and events: Over the seven days commencing Ist September there will be exhibitions and events organized by Dehwelans and for more info go to dehwelanskernow.com There will be a display of Esedhvos Kernow activities and organisations in the Guildhall and a stall for four days in the Rose Garden, East Looe. EK are running the third Café des Arts poetry evening on Thursday 4th September at 7.30 in the Guildhall Council Chamber donations on admission, your attendance will be welcome. Contact Les Merton (phone 9

Ceremony Booklet: By tradition the ceremony is conducted mainly in Cornish and the booklet with proceedings in English and Cornish is available at a small cost.

Public concert: This will be held in Looe Community School, Barbican Road, Looe and will commence at 7.15 p.m. Tickets price £6.00.

Celtic Delegates: The Gorsedd welcomes the Breton and the Welsh representatives. We hope they have a memorable time.

The Gorsedd Council is very grateful to Looe Town Council Members, who have done a tremendous amount of the local organisation, the local Old Cornwall Society, the Minister & Congregation of the Riverside Chapel, and to local organisations and volunteers for their welcome and for the help given, without whose assistance our ceremony could not be staged.

Gorseth Kernow – Looe, 6th September 2008

13:30 The Marshal will brief the Bards, guests, initiates, Lady of Cornwall and dancers with the specific instructions re this Gorseth in Looe. Venue – Looe Football Ground.
14:00 Bardic Procession leaves for the Circle.
14:30 The Gorseth Ceremony will begin.
16:15 Return of Procession to Looe Community School.
16:45 Prompt! Bardic Tea in the Dining Room for the Council`s special guests and bards who have pre-booked.
19:30-22:00 Public Concert in the School

To facilitate the work of the Marshals and Stewards in forming the procession, it is requested that Bards and guests acquaint themselves with the linear order of the procession, which is as follows:-

Marshal, Piper, Gorsedd Banner, Initiates, Bards, St. Piran’s Banner, Council Members, Esethvos Banner, Mistress of Robes and Herald, Chanter and Chaplain, Horner, Dancers, Lady and Attendants., Past Deputy Grand Bards, Past Grand Bards, Secretary and Treasurer, Breton Banner, Breton Reps., Welsh Banner, Welsh Reps., Deputy Grand Bard, Sword Bearer, Grand Bard, Junior Marshal, Deputy Senior Steward, Banners O.C.S.

Sunday 7th September

15:00 Ecumenical Service in Cornish in the Riverside Chapel, West Looe. The collection is for the Church, and all are welcome whether Cornish speakers or not.

Map

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