Beltane Blessings

For a little place in the middle of nowhere, that was empty and alone and unloved for 650 years, it’s a busy, beautiful Beltane.

Celebrations started as the sun set on Beltane Eve - guests spread across the meadow where both Holly Henge and of course the Church both played their magical part.

The Henge was the focal point for dancing and mayhem provided by the WolfsHead and Vixen Morris side and the Church , the backdrop to Kensei Taiko, the Japanese Drumming Group, whose thunderous performance echoed along the valley.

The evening ended with a torchlight procession to ‘Beat the Bounds’.

Beltane Morn was an altogether quieter affair, (probably because it’s a 5am start).

A small group gathered within the stone circle to greet the sunrise which was preceded by the gradually increasing tempo of the bodhrans of the newly formed Dode Drummers, led by Christine, and followed by a gong crescendo expertly orchestrated by Bernard at the exact moment of sunrise.

It was a beautiful start to a beautiful day during which Dode will play host to a wedding and hand fasting - which, subject to the consent of the couple, we will bring to you shortly (like so many things at Dode, there is an underlining story, that the bride explained to our guests during the eve celebrations).

Today meant a very early start for an octogenarian, but during the wondrous Morn celebration, surrounded by the glories of nature, in such a quiet place, a couple of lines from Henry V kept running through my head.

“ And gentleman in England now a-bed

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here “.

Just think -

The Church had been abandoned and was asleep for almost 50 years before the Battle of Agincourt was fought!

It had been sleeping for almost a quarter of a century years before Shakespeare wrote those words.

It was still asleep in 1944 when Sir Laurence Olivier first spoke them on the ‘silver screen’.

Just Think!

Bright Beltane Blessings - Doug.