Today, it would seem the most famous occurrence of this tradition can be found in Ottery St Mary, Devon. I'm pleased to say that despite the almost apocalyptic recent weather recently this year's event went ahead as planned. Another race occurs at Hatherleigh in Devon, and I'm sure there are one or two others that have remained under the radar, so to speak.
What happens?
Well, there are on average 17 barrels during the main race, the men's, which takes place near to midnight. There are other races with smaller barrels for children and women. Although there are always huge crowds for these events - that take place on the same night as a carnival and bonfire - you can only take part if your family have lived in the town for a 'requisite' number of years.
The idea is to compete for the largest of the barrels and, wrapped in old clothes and gloves made of sackcloth soaked in water, to carry the flaming tar barrel on the back of the neck, top of the shoulders, as quickly as possible (presumably so the flames fan out behind you rather than onto you!). In recent years, the police and health and safety conscious have made attempts to sanitise the event, but thankfully they have been seen of - to my knowledge there has never been a serious injury. The contestants weave through the windy lanes, dodging the crowds as they go. Imagine carrying a 30kg barrel full of blazing tar, as the heat grows and you grow weary!
The Origins
Well, the festivities are obviously linked to the festivities of November 5th and the gunpowder plot. But is it as simple as that? Its origins can apparently be traced back to the 1700s, but it is tempting to attribute this festival of fire to a pagan survival, falling as it does, only a few days after Samhain - the time of no time, the end of the year, a three-day festival that marked the onset of winter, with its associated darkness and cold. In this way it could be seen to form part of an extended cycle of mid-winter festivals of light and hope, where communities would get together to raise their spirits and maybe begin a process of reawakening the sun ahead of spring.
However, there are other theories. One such suggestion, though fairly mundane, is that it started as a test of strength that was copied, remembered and that eventually formed part of the calendar. Another is that the smoke and fire being carried through town was used to effectively fumigate the streets of evil and unwanted spirits. It has also been said that the fumigation was of local shops - presumably a barrel would be carried between shops out of hours?
What should be noted is the suggestion by Ronald Hutton that 'Guy Fawkes Night would never have continued to the present, with such popularity, as the surviving British fire festival, because of its historical significance alone.' (The Stations of the Sun; 1996; Oxford University Press).
It should be noted that in other parts of the country the barrels are, or were, rolled, and that some, such as Allendale, form part of the New Year celebrations.
Where to find more
Follow these links to start your own research into the tar barrel traditions:
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