The Horngarth Service and The Penny Hedge29th May 2010 NB. Click on photographs for an enlarged view. The Penny Hedge: The Legend  The story begins when several Gentlemen were out hunting in the Abbot's Forest on Eskdaleside. With their hounds they were chasing a boar: near to death, it took refuge in a hermit's cell. The cell was believed to be a chapel that once existed on the outskirts of the village of Sleights – four miles south/west of Whitby (OS Landranger 94: NZ860073). The hermit, a monk from Whitby Abbey, tried to protect the boar but was himself badly wounded by the men, who were annoyed at his intervention. Before he died of his wounds he persuaded the Abbot to forgive the men in return for performing a penance: in order to continue to hold their land from the Abbot, they were to perform the Horngarth Service every year upon Ascension Eve – the 39th day of Easter. The Abbot's officer was to deliver stakes, stout stowers andyedders cut with a knife of a penny price and carried to the town of Whitby before 9.00 am. and to be set out at the brim of the water. The fence when made must stand for three tides but if the tide is full at 9.00 am. the service will cease. When it is built, the Officer shall blow the horn and call 'Out on Ye' three times. If the men or their successors refuse to do this service when the tide is right, then they will forfeit their lands to the Abbot.In ‘History of Whitby’ written in 1779, Lionel Charlton describes The Penny Hedge and records the legend, which he thinks was written to account for the continuation of the unusual service of Horngarth. He goes on to describe how the story was handed about, 'for time immemorial' in the form of a paper printed on vellum. The story referred to an incident that was supposed to have occurred in 1159. There is no record of this event in the Abbot's Book, and he goes on to point out that the Legend is full of inaccuracies. Several well known writers agree with him. There is an entry on the flyleaf of the Abbot's Book written in a more modern hand than all the contents of the book itself. This entry describes how the Service of Horngarth was carried out at the time of writing which Canon Atkinson thinks is just before the Dissolution in 1540. By the time of the Dissolution of the Abbey it seems that Allatson of Fylingdales was the only one of the Freemen who had not purchased their freedom from the Service. As the Manor of Fyling Court Leet and Baron continues to this day, the Bailiff now acts as the Lord of the Manor's Officer and the wood is still cut in the Parish so that the service can be performed. Original text courtesy of Heather Wilkinson. The Penny Hedge: 12 May 2010 It was a bright sunny morning when we arrived at the harbour known as Abraham’s Busom (opposite ‘The Middle Earth’ public house on Church Street) on the southern bank of the River Esk in Whitby for the building of The Penny Hedge. The legend states that the hedge has to be built annually and has to survive three tides, but on arriving at water’s edge I was amazed to find the remains of last year’s structure still in place.  Lol Hodgson, the bailiff of the Manor Of Fyling, quickly removed the old hedge from the mud. He explained that the strong tides, usually responsible for the destruction of previous Penny Hedges, had had been kind to last year’s structure; this was possibly due to recent dredging in the river. It was approaching 9.00am and a small crowd gathered on along the railings on the roadside as Lol and Tim Osborne began swiftly erecting the hedge. The Penny Hedge is made from locally sourced Hazel. The structure consists of nine upright posts which are rammed securely into the mud. Nine stems are then woven through the uprights: two of these have a ‘hook’ – one at each end - which hold the structure together. Four angled stems are added to stabalise the main structure. Finally stems, which have their foliage retained, are woven through the lower reaches of the structure. On completion, Lol and Tim, with their backs towards to the congregation, turned towards the river and Lol made his proclamation and Tim duly sounded his horn, thus completing the ceremony. The old hedge, now redundant, was discarded by the riverside, so I duly claimed it and carried it back to my car. The structure, complete with seaweed trappings, has since been re-erected in my garden. Terry Welbourn – Grantham – May 2010 Many thanks to: Noel Barrett, Lol Hodgson, Tim Osborne and Heather Wilkinson. An interesting link |
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