Alban Eleud and into October

Alban Eleud, the Celtic festival of the Light of the Water in Druidic tradition, celebrated the time of the gradual close of summer at the time of autumn equinox.

This was the second of the festivals for the harvest, held at the time when the last of the crops were gathered in; the end of harvest time. When the corn-dollies that represented nature herself were completed and laid to rest in the fields to ensure the fertility of the ground for the following year, the fruits of the earth were the centre-piece of celebrations.

The bountiful provision of food and wine provided by the Mother Earth goddess was celebrated as the balance of nature became apparent, and day's light equalled the enfolding night.

Michaelmas fairs and October festivities settled well into the previous pattern of things when the church sanitised the season. Here was a time to sell animals and livestock of all sort. Horse fairs , goose fairs, cattle, sheep, and poultry fairs.

Wives could still be bought and paid for too, well into the 19th century.

The Goose Fair survives still at Tavistock, but is now much like any other modern-day street market, and is also known well in Nottingham where the people attend it to take their pleasures rather than procure poultry.

The year was coming to a close, preparations for winter would soon begin. In former days the senior convened at around this time, as they still do , and justice was delivered to any who had failed their ancient responsibilities during the year. Titles of many ancient posts held by civic dignitaries conjure pictures of pomp and pride that has long gone; the Portreeve as a chief officer of a town or borough may have been inferior to a Mayor in some towns, but while it is the position of Mayor that survived, the title 'Portreeve' perhaps conjures impressions of greater power.

A civic official well known today is that protector of people, the 'public health officer', but somehow, concerned though they may be with standards and hygiene in food shops, catering premises, drinking establishments, and the like, it is difficult to think of them as inheritors of past traditions which could put them in court if not exercised correctly; especially where taverns or drinking establishments were concerned.

In 1668 James Cole, aletaster of Paignton, presented to the court;-

"Daniel Goodridge & John Stabb to be comon brewers who refuse to be att their entry and further sayth that for the yere past they have each of them brewed tenn times each. And further saith that Susan the wife of the foresaid John Stabb refuseth to give a taste of her Ale & Beere."

Similar problems are recorded elsewhere

According to three old parchment rolls, dated from 1566-7, found at Wilton House, Salisbury, in 1904, ale tasting was an occupation in which 'area responsibilities' were defined.

The records were part of a survey of the property that had belonged to the first Earl of Pembroke and included a description of the duties of the local Ale Taster :-

"Item there be iiii Ale tasters that do present all brewenges & Typlings within their severall lymitts, there is one for Paington towne and Pruston, & an other for Yalbourne & Blackdon, one other for Stooke, & an other for Marldon. And theis offices are incident to all the Customary Tenaunts by the seid Custome except the Tythingsmen's places."

The ale tasters were sometimes not given full co-operation and Paignton innkeepers could find themselves appearing before the Courts Baron and Courts Leet of the Manor. here;-

"1680. October 14. Law Court, View of Frankpledge and Court Baron. "Item they pr. sent Thomas Drew for sellinge his beare and refuseinge to lette the Aletaster taste it."

Not that the innkeepers were alone in wrongdoing when it came to ale-tasting. The holders of the office themselves sometimes failed in their duty and were brought to court.

"1670. October 19. Law Court and Court Baron. Aletaster de Payngton, David Barnes who for neglectinge the execucon of his office beinge sworne is fined iiis. iiid."

Not that the office holders learned their lesson it appears, or at least not this aletaster, for two years later he was before the courts again;

"1672. October 7. Law Court and View of Frankpledge. Aletaster de Paington, David Barnes who came & for not peforminge his office being there unto required, ideo in misericordia xxvi s. viiid."

Presumably, the considerable increase in the fine imposed reflected that this was not a 'first offence' and a points system of increasing fines might even then have been operable for offenders.

Such means of ensuring that was work was properly attended to was not restricted to the Court of Law, Court Baron, or Courts Leet.

© Roy & Ursula Radford