dimanche 18 septembre 2005

Painswick Churchyard... Clipping and Tomb Trail For many years I thought, as others probably do, that the "Painswick Clipping" referred to an annual trimming of the hundred or so Yew trees in this famous Cotswold churchyard. Not so... the word is really spelt "clypping" and comes from the ancient word "yclept" which can mean "embracing" - although the New Shorter Oxford dictionary definition includes two quotes... ...from Milton - "But com thou Goddes fair and free, In Heav'n ycleap'd Euphrosyne." ...and Kurt Vonnegut, "They were painted the palest rose-orange, not unlike the... shade yclept 'Mani Eventide'." ...which leaves me none the wiser and the latter certainly not a Vonnegut line I would have remembered from struggling through "V" or "Gravity's Rainbow." The "embracing" of the churchyard takes place at 3:00 pm on "Feast Sunday" which is the first Sunday on or after September 19th... this year (2005) falling on the 25th. The celebration is in commemoration of the dedication of the church to the Blessed Virgin Mary on the date of her Nativity, September 8th... but the church and village of Painswick, after the restoration of the Gregorian Calendar and the consequent loss of eleven days refused to abandon its old date of September 19th. After a special service the clergy, congregation and children encircle the church, and, holding hands in an unbroken chain sing and dance their love and praises. The children wear garlands of flowers and receive the traditional Painswick bun and a silver coin. An interesting quote from a lengthy article on Painswick's Pagan Past states that... "...each spring the people of Painswick held a 'Feast Sunday'. According to one account made by the Revd John Wiltshire in 1760 the yearly 'Pan procession' went from the churchyard to woods close to the Hyetts' residence. This would indicate that by this date the 'Feast Sunday' had become an established event. In 1787 a further account of the festivities was given by Robert Raikes, the Gloucester founder of the Sunday School movement. He relates how it took place in September, and not in spring. Furthermore, he states that it 'would have disgraced the most heathen nations. Drunkenness and every species of clamour, riot and disorder formerly filled the town on this occasion.' It is said that his revulsion as what he saw actually inspired his creation of the Sunday School movement." The Feast Day was once notorious in Painswick for riotous behaviour and the "Puppy-dog Pies" which were said to have been baked by a publican desperate for meat to fill the stomachs of the visiting crowds. This is celebrated today by baking china dogs into the pies and cakes made for the day. However, having no photographs of this gathering, nor of stray dogs, I have to fall back on relevant images of the churchyard... featuring the trees and tombs. The European Yew, Taxus baccata is a slow growing, long lived evergreen tree, native to Europe, and growing from 10-20 meters tall on average. The oldest is believed to be 4,000 years old, and others with a trunk diameter of 3 meters indicating 3,000 years of age are known. Many are found in churchyards but it also has pre-Christian associations. The Yews in Painswick churchyard were planted around 1790 and it is said that there can be, "Just under or just over, but never, reputedly, exactly 100 in number"... the hundredth tree can never grow because "it will be pulled out by the devil". Some years ago the trees were counted, and it was found there were 103 growing. As for the annual "clipping" spelt with an "i" - Tree Maintenance Limited do the job. The churchyard Tomb Trail is fun... if poring over the monuments to the dead can be considered as such! Even in the 18th century the churchyard was, "a place of resort, in fine weather, for the ladies and polite inhabitants of the Town." The tombstones, of soft Cotswold limestone date mainly from the 18th century and are as fine as can be found anywhere because Painswick was a centre for monumental masonry as a result of the wealth of the wool trade... Clothiers and Mercers being buried there with Gents and Yeomen. Many of the table and pedestal tombs show italian Influence and are certainly varied in shape with square, circular, hexagonal and domes features. Those interested in symbolism will find decorative cherubs, garlands, crowns, torches, shells, festoons, columns, brackets... and several skeletons and skulls carved into the stone showing the obsession with death. But morbid? No... more of an education and opportunity with a camera. 11:00:44 PM    comment []