Category: Beating the Bounds

The Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey

Tomb of the Unknown Warrior – Westminster Abbey – Wikipedia Creative Commons

Marking the 100th Anniversary year of the Burial with a link to the Westminster Abbey website and to Pathé News 1920, including an Aldbourne connection. The film has footage of HMS Verdun carrying the coffin to Dover. Information about HMS Verdun can be found on the internet, and one of the sources I have used is the V and W Destroyer Association – http://vandwdestroyerassociation.org.uk/HMS_Verdun/index.html

The bell of H.M.S. Verdun in which the Unknown Warrior was brought from Boulogne to Dover on the eve of Armistice Day 1920. Presented by Cdr. J.D.R. Davies, M.B.E., R.N. Remembrance Sunday 1990.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/unknown-warrior
The Revival of Aldbourne’s Beating the Bounds – John Davies second from right https://aldbournearchive.wordpress.com/2020/02/01/beating-the-bounds-2020-save-the-date-sunday-10-may/
The Dabchick February 1992

More reading: Planning the burial of the Unknown Warrior (Thursday 5 November 2020) by William Butler – The National Archives Blog 

Beating the Bounds 2020

I’m editing this page on Rogation Sunday, which according to some sources was the original day Beating of the Parish Bounds took place. The observance of this ancient custom was lost in 2020 as a consequence of Covid-19. However today, members of my family wandered along Hilldrop Lane and crossed the parish boundary by way of a token gesture.

From a slide kindly lent by the late Dr Trevor Tiplady, believed to be taken in 1966

It’s interesting to note that the early May Bank Holiday is a recent public holiday in these parts. It has happened in Scotland since 1871, but was only adopted by the rest of the UK in 1978. The early May Bank Holiday was moved in 1995 to link with events on or around the 50th anniversary of VE Day. Beating the Bounds in Aldbourne moved with the holiday on that occasion, taking place on the second Monday in May 1995.

For 2020 the early May Bank Holiday moved to Friday 8 May #VEDay75. If not for Covid-19 Beating the Bounds would have been on Sunday 10 May 2020.

I’ve taken a moment today to explore the revival of the perambulation, including a chapter by Commander J.D.R Davies in the booklet Aldbourne it’s history and people which was produced for the village Festival in 1970. This is just one chapter from a great snap-shot of Aldbourne, just prior to the publication of Heart of a Village by Ida Gandy (1975).

Aldbourne it’s history and people : with thanks to the Library & Archive, Wiltshire Museum, Devizes (2011)

Aldbourne Village Gallery. The story so far – long may it last!

I started a Flickr Gallery in 2008. It now has just over 4,000 photos in it. Flickr has been acquired by something called Smug Mug, and I’ve decided not to add any more photos since there seems to be a risk that the Gallery might disappear; free accounts being a bit vulnerable to that, it would seem.

So here’s a link – enjoy! https://www.flickr.com/photos/aldbournevillagegallery/albums

Many aspects of village life are represented; particularly Carnival and the Beating of the Bounds. If there are any photos or albums you’d like to chat about, please drop me a line, aldbourne.archive@gmail.com

Jo Hutchings – August 2019