BB2017 : Lord Anthony and the Pestilence

Wednesday 27th May 2020

In days of yore there dwelt, in a castle overlooking the town called Kirkbie Kentdale, the noble Lord Anthony.  Each Wednesday he would set up his midday court on the limestone ridge that separates the Kent Valley from the Lyth Valley.  There, outside the auld Helsington kirk, he would invite his loyal subjects to partake luncheon with him.

On this particular Wednesday, the last before Whitsuntide, a great pestilence had swept through the land.  The villeins sought his advice and protection.  These included Bryan the Greene Man, Domnauld of Crakehalle, Martyn of the High Wood,  Mikael av Natalund, Micah the Howe, Stefen de Lefuenes and Stigweard of the Long Howe with his faithful hound, Maisie.  It is believed that Stanleigh the Archer would have been with them had he not suffered an injury in a recent tourney.

Lord Anthony decreed that they would only be permitted to appear within his sight singly and separated from him at great distance.  If he should then deem one of them sufficiently worthy, that villein would be invited, at noon, to approach him, alone and remaining at not less than a rod’s distance away*.  All others would be required to disperse, individually and without mutual communication, and return to their humble dwellings.  Meanwhile, Lord Anthony would partake of his lunch whilst listening to the fortunate supplicant’s request. 

He sat at the appointed place.  One by one his subjects approached, each arriving from a different direction and each separated by considerable time and distance.  Once the villein was sufficiently close to be within earshot, the Lord would announce his decision.  Each was hoping to hear “Good Sir, pray come feast with me”.  Each was distraught instead to be summarily informed that they were not to be chosen and that they should "Be Gone" back to their disparate homesteads, directly and without speaking to any living soul.  Anxious not to displease their Lord, they did as instructed with no audible complaint passing their lips though one can imagine their inner turmoil and distress.

The business of the day now complete, the Lord Anthony ate his venison and ale pie whilst reflecting on how well he had managed to avoid the pestilence.  Once sated, he mounted his trusty steed and returned to his castle where slumber engulfed him.

This sad episode in the nation’s history was faithfully re-enacted today by the BOOTboys travelling players using similarly disparate routes and times to and from Helsington Church.


The Lord Anthony


 
Martyn of the High Wood


Stefen de Lefuenes


Bryan the Greene Man


Mikael av Natalund


Stigweard of the Long Howe


Domnauld of Crakehalle


Micah the Howe


H
is faithful hound Maisie

One additional, unexpected item of note is that outside the church, a photo-shoot was taking place for the Classic Cars magazine featuring a very smart Ford Capri Mark 1. I was asked not to put a picture of the car on social media until the article has been published.  So here it isn't.  Apart from the wheels.

Something else to discuss in the ZOOMbar?

Don, Wednesday 27th May 2020

* The unit of measurement known as a "rod" is equivalent to about 5 metres

 

BOOTboys

 

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Zoombar Comitibus:

 

Martin

Don

StanTerry

Mike T

Tony

Bryan

Mike B

Stephen

Routes:

Map OS 1:50k

Stats

Colour

Distance in Miles

Height Climbed in Feet

Bryan

Red

11.1

1,426

Don

Purple

9.5

1,212

Martin

Green

10.7

1,525

Mike

Blue

8.7

858

Distances measured on Memory Map.  GPX recorders show about 1 mile more

Map OS 1:10k Street Map

STATISTICS

BB2017 : Lord Anthony and the Pestilence

Date:

Wednesday 27th May 2020

Features:

Cunswick Scar, Scout Scar, Helsington Churchl

Comitibus:

Bryan, Don, Martin, Mike B, Mike T, Stephen, Stuart, Tony

Distance in miles (Memory Map):
Bryan; Don; Martin; Mike B

11.1;   9.5;  10.7;  8.7

Height climbed in feet (Memory Map):

1,426;  1,216;  1,525; 858

GPX track

BB2017.gpx

 

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