Looking back over the last ten years of the Dark Gathering with all its twists and turns, I’m glad to see that the heart and soul of the Gathering remains strong and steady. What I’m referring to is the cross cultural exchange that happens each Hallowtide between the Cornish and Welsh Osses and Mari Lwyds, and as a consequence of these dark folkloric motifs, the honouring and blessing of our Celtic ancestry. This is the basis of our event and all the entertainment that accompanies each Dark Gathering is to celebrate this connection.
This year marks a new phase of the Dark Gathering which we feel will give it longevity. We have some exciting plans!
We have decided to extend our Event Licence so that we are able to increase the amount of people who can attend. In the past we were restricted to just 500 people, both audience and performers included, but with the new licence we will have more ‘wiggle room’ especially as our new venue of Tintagel has so much more space.
There will be a specially designated area for wheelchair users and their carers in order to avoid folk standing in front of them during the performances.
Since there was a problem last year with accessing the public conveniences, there will be portaloos on site in future.
The stalls proved very popular last year and will be added to with extra food and drink facilities plus other retail opportunities.
An added extra be a stall selling new, upgraded Dark Gathering merchandise.
We would like to invite able bodied people to become marshals to take on very specific roles on the day. For this they will receive free entry to the venue; free food and drink during the event; free parking and a complimentary crew T shirt. If you are interested please contact: thedarkgathering.info@gmail.com
So there you have it. We will be releasing tickets for sale nearer the time, most likely towards the end of the summer, and we will be alerting you all well in advance. We do have a Facebook presence if you want to talk about anything to do with the Dark Gathering and where we share photos and footage:The Dark Gathering of Tintagel Cornwall
Otherwise you can write to us via the Contact page on this site.
Have a great Spring and Summer and see you all again in October!
As the full moon shone down over the event, the energy shifted, and became liminal. This was the time for singing the Traveller’s Prayer – a lament for Summer’s End if you like. This has now become a tradition within the Gathering that was first started by Sarah Emery way back in 2015. In order to fill an unexpected lull in proceedings Sarah spontaneously started to sing the Traveller’s Prayer and it immediately captured the imagination with it’s beauty and poignancy – we have continued with it ever since. This year it was sung by Laura and Amelie (I hope I have spelled that correctly) from Beltane Border Morris.
Close your eyes and let the music take you back to that extraordinary eldritch night…
Now that we had been transported into a wonderfully expectant frame of mind, enter Peter Grey, the Conjure Man for the night.
Peter had great stage presence and there was complete silence apart from the flaming torches guttering in the breeze. He called upon the spirits of the ancestors, naming local ancient sites and barrow mounds as he did so. It was totally entrancing, slightly disturbing in parts as he held up a replica skull as a focus item, and yet it was also compelling. There was a moment which had the hair standing up on the back of my neck when Peter first called the ancestral spirits in and the flames from the torches went mad as a strong gust of wind rushed across the performance space – a sure sign that the ancestors were present. I get so inspired by these spiritual validations to the Dark Gathering – it makes all the hard work well worth it.
Following on from the Blessing we honoured the ancestors with our voices by singing the Ancestor Chant. Here you can relive this magical time with this footage:
It was now time for the finale dances from our Guest Sides, just to remind us all of their brilliance. Then Beltane prepared to dance Haccombe to Death which is always performed with flaming torches, much to the consternation of any Health & Safety conscious individuals. I have however, only witnessed one occasion over the years where the fire blanket was put to use, and that was over in seconds after a torch spilled its contents on the ground. Despite appearances Beltane Border Morris are very safety conscious.
Did you notice some odd lights dancing above the performers in the above footage? I would like to think they were spirits joining in with our revels. Ever since we had started the magical part of the evening and the full moon had risen majestically from behind the surrounding hills, we had felt the almost primeval energy pervading the area. It wasn’t until we saw the photos and footage later on that we noticed all the visual phenomena that was happening around us as well. I’m sure that there are rational explanations for the optical illusions that appeared, but it certainly went along with the eerie atmosphere of that evening. Here’s another example of this:
What is that green smoke that is hanging around Ant and my legs – also behind our MC Steve? Maybe it’s a will o’ the wisp.
Following this was the time for all the thank yous and announcements. I had a great long list of them which everyone cheered at as I named all the people who worked so hard to bring about the Dark Gathering 2023. I must have been more tired than I realised, plus somehow or other I had managed to skip lunch because I completely forgot to announce who next year’s Guest Sides were to be – unheard of omission! Maybe I just had a senior moment – well, I’m not getting any younger… anyway, although once I had realised I sent out a posting about it, I’ll mention here that we will have two fantastic sides attending – Black Powder Morris Black Powder Morris
As next year is our 10th Anniversary, there may well be a special guest(s). This is subject to confirmation which I am awaiting. I always like to keep an element of surprise to avoid the Dark Gathering becoming too predictable. 🙂
Finally it was time for the Fire Dance. Usually Beltane arrange to have especially chosen folk at the centre of the Fire Dance and this year was no exception. I found myself, Martin our Gaffer, Peter Grey and his wife, Alkistis as my companions in the centre. Also rather wonderfully a group of Mexicans who had travelled over from their country just for the Gathering were invited to the centre – so there was a fairly large grouping. Then the wild dance began. Only someone who has experienced being at the vortex of that Wild Hunt of a dance can appreciate the potency of the energy raised – especially as I was facing the full moon with flying dancers darting across my vision. Unforgettable.
Towards the end of the dance, all 30 odd Beltane dancers joined in, swiftly followed by all the Morris sides who circled round and round. I caught sight of both wheelchair users speeding around the edge of the circle having the time of their lives. It was brilliant! Here’s some footage to give you some idea of the vibrant energy of it:
So that was it. Another action packed Dark Gathering over and done with. This time in a new venue that had proved to be a resounding success not only for us, the performers and audience, but also for the local community which benefitted from the custom and gave every appearance of thoroughly enjoying it.
Thank you so much everyone and I’ll see you all next year, gods willing. 🙂
This year we were determined to have a Parade since our last year in Boscastle we were unable to have one. In the past we had a parade in order to escort the Mari Lwyds to the Gathering, this year was going to be different. The Welsh requested that they arrive without escort and revert to a more traditional approach which resembled a form of gate-crashing. We still wanted a Parade for the local people of Tintagel and for any visitors who hadn’t managed to purchase a ticket. Also, as I mentioned earlier we wanted to expand the Cornish/Welsh cultural exchange, so with this idea in mind I searched for and found what I felt to be some excellent representatives of the Cornish tradition. First of all I approached the Raffidy Dumitz Band from Penzance, which incidentally myself and Laetitia had recently joined as musicians. ‘Raffidy Dumitz’ – formed in 2014 – is a group of musicians based in the Penzance area, who gather to perform predominantly Cornish music at Cornish cultural events. ‘Dumitz’ means noise and celebration other versions say it means twilight. ‘Raffidy’ refers to a 19th century story about a mediaeval statue of St Raphael, possibly part of an ancient chapel, now in St Mary’s churchyard: a workman said he had ‘wheeled away St Raffidy in a barrow’.
As we had now changed our venue, the words of our Pwnco with the Welsh needed to be changed to fit the new situation. Caroline Yeates, the author of these verses, kindly created a new set of lyrics.
However, we then had to find a Cornish speaker who could translate the words from English to Cornish. Very sadly, our dear friend Craig Weatherhill who had helped us out in the past had passed away, and so I was on the hunt for someone else. Rather delightfully we eventually discovered a Cornish Bard who not only was willing to translate the lyrics, but also to transpose them with the appropriate timing and metre. We had stumbled upon a real gem of a performer in Ken George as he agreed to sing the Pwnco for us on the day. It wasn’t until later on that I realised how highly qualified Ken is – check out this link for more details: Ken George Biography
In order to truly celebrate the cross cultural exchange, we agreed to have both Welsh and Cornish dancing displays, with a bit of audience participation to add to the fun.
Now that I have explained the thinking behind the Parade, it’s time to let you know what it was like on the day. Since the Parade required a rolling road closure, we paid for a local Tintagel resident, Roger Lyle, to attend a day course entitled the Traffic Management for an Event. Roger successfully completed this and got his accreditation which will now last for the next five years. So, as in the nature of these things, we had to be exact in our timing for the Parade start – no room for the Cornish ‘dreckly’ syndrome! (For those who are not familiar with this term, ‘dreckly’ means, at some point in the future – a bit like ‘man yana’ but not as quick.)
What was supposed to happen was, the Raffidy Dumitz Band was to leave at 6 pm on the dot from the Castle car park. At the same time Penkevyll was going to leave the venue and process down the street until they met each other outside the King Arthur’s Arms for an Oss Off. (Where two or more Osses meet is called an Oss Off). However, on the day Penkevyll got over excited and ran out into the street to meet and greet all the people waiting on the sides of the street, the tribal drummers which accompanied her were then obliged to follow in her wake. Although we emerged rather early and the 10 minutes wait seemed interminable for us drummers, Penk and her foal, Morvargh lost no time in delighting the crowd and getting up to all sorts of mischief.
A quick mention here for our new apprentice Teazer, Megan who gave a great performance in her new role.
Not forgetting our new Rider who also did splendidly. By tradition the Rider is not named in order to maintain the mystique of the Oss.
Morvargh couldn’t resist the lure of the sweet counter in the local shop. Naughty Oss!
In the meantime, various musicians were legging it down the main street to join the Parade.
Then at last the Parade was spotted coming around the corner – the excitement was palpable!
This was our signal to process down to meet them and off we set.
It was a sight to see and no mistake. Here’s some footage to give a feel of the atmosphere:
There was a glorious meet up with Penkevyll and Penhood who hadn’t seen each other since St Piran’s Day in Redruth, and they danced together to the combined music of the Raffidy Dumitz Band and the tribal drums that had accompanied Penkevyll.
The tune played when they met was ‘Horse’s Bransle’ a 16th Century French tune AKA ‘The Devil’s Fiddler’ or ‘Horse’s Brawl’.
The Band sounded great and there were smiles and excitement from the crowds including folk coming out of their homes and shops to watch the spectacle go by.
It was during this time that we had a few moments of mizzle (a cross between mist and drizzle) – it seemed that the Raffidy Dumitz Band had brought it up with them from West Cornwall! However it was short lived and certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of all the revellers. By the time the Parade had made it’s way up the main street and back to the venue it had stopped.
Looks like Penkevyll managed to corral Beltane Morris in a tent – not a sight you see very often!
Then the call went out – the Welsh had arrived. The Pwnco ceremony was about to begin.
Before I recount this custom and whilst I have your attention, there is something I want to mention in dispatches.
This man is John Isaac. He is a lovely man and a very gifted photographer. John has been the our official photographer from the very first Dark Gathering, nearly ten years ago. Sadly, he has been subjected to considerable harassment from certain quarters within the audience during his time with us. I would ask for some patience and consideration as he performs his duties. John takes a few shots at a time and then moves on – please bear with him. I know it’s annoying for someone to get in your way, but it’s not permanent. In case folk don’t realise who he is, we have decided that in future John will wear a trilby hat with a Press card stuck in the brim so that he will be instantly recognisable. John does a wonderful job and we don’t want to lose him because he’s got disheartened by all the verbal abuse aimed at him during the event. Thank you for your understanding in this.
Back to the Pwnco. In order to remind everyone what a Pwnco ceremony is, here is an extract from a Mari Lwyd Information Leaflet that was written by Caroline Yeates:
The Mari Lwyd is an old Welsh custom dating back centuries. During “ Y Gwyliau” – “ The Holidays” around Christmas and New Year, groups of men would go from house to house and pub to pub carrying a decorated horse’s skull on a pole with a sheet hanging down which covered the bearer. They would sing and make noise and on arriving at a door ask for admittance which could only be gained by winning a rhyming competition with the inhabitants “ The Pwnco” or “Canu Cwnsela”. This competition could go on for some time and include many insults. Eventually the Mari and Party would be let in for food, drink and merriment which they would enjoy until moving on to the next house or pub and starting all over again. Money also sometimes changed hands, a bit like carol singing or the Wassail tradition. Various characters were associated with the Mari – the Ostler who led the Mari, Merryman the fiddler, the Sergeant and Punch and Judy who got up to all sorts of mischief.
When the Welsh arrive at the Dark Gathering following an afternoon of genial mayhem around the village, they follow very similar lines in their approach to gain entry. We have scouts out to warn of the approach of the Welsh for its as well to be prepared for them. I’m sure folk would love to know exactly what insults were traded and exchanged between the Welsh and the Cornish so here is the translation:
Translation of Cornish & Welsh Pwnco 2023
Cornish – Kernewek Welsh – Cymraeg
(K) Well what’s all that noise there, like choughs who are choking? We’re locking the doors now, we’re frightened.
(C) We sing as sweetly as the birds of Rhiannon to wake the dead tonight.
(K) Well give us your names then, you don’t look too friendly. Just bones, teeth and tatters, and eyeballs.
(C) Here are Arianrhod, Fflosi and Seren. We’re related to Llamrei, Arthur’s steed.
(K) Why have you come here so late in the evening? The spirits will walk soon. Stay out there.
(C) We’ve come here to celebrate the spirit night of All Hallows but the M5 was terrible.
7. (K) Well come in, be quick then. It’s cold on the doorstep. But please can you tone down, your screeching.
(C) At last! A welcome to sing and celebrate. We hope there’s cake and beer.
Now here is what it sounds like in Welsh and Cornish.
There then followed very lively and entertaining Welsh dancing from Cwmni Gwerin Pontypwl whilst the stately progression of the Mari Lwyds continued around the edge of the performance area.
Magically, just as the Welsh performers were singing their Farewell Song to us all, the full moon in all her glory slipped out from behind her veil of clouds to shine her mysterious light upon the proceedings.
Then, it was time for the Cornish to perform with music and dance.
I tried to find some photos of the Cornish dancing but everyone was dancing so quickly that the dancers came out as a blur! Nevertheless we all had a great time enjoying the Nos Lowen. (Cornish for Happy Night or social dancing to traditional Cornish tunes)
It was time for a change of pace following all this frivolity. It was time to call forth the spirits. It was time for the Ancestors.
There were portents and signs to confirm that this year’s Dark Gathering was given the seal of approval by the gods, but first let me take you back nine years ago to a dark and stormy night in Tintagel 2014…
Yes, the Mari Lwyds were abroad and up to mischief in the local hostelries – and the response from the locals was mixed. We even got turfed out of one establishment! Here’s some footage to give you a taste of what that was like:
We had such a good experience with the Pwnco at the Museum the previous day that we felt that it would be a good idea to repeat it – and so we began plotting.
This is the now famous photo of our plotting headquarters for the future Dark Gathering in the Wooton Inn. In a strange quirk of fate I ended up in almost the identical place, but certainly in the same room at the Post Performance Party at this year’s event. The Dark Gathering had returned home.
This just to remind folks that the idea of the Dark Gathering was conceived in Tintagel, birthed in Boscastle, and now that the event has proved so popular and outgrew the infrastructure of Boscastle, it has returned to its roots. We hope that Tintagel will now be the Dark Gathering’s forever home.
As I alluded to earlier, Tintagel didn’t quite know what to make of us on our first visit, but as we made tentative forays into seeing whether Tintagel was a viable option for the Dark Gathering, the folk I approached were positive and did all that they could to welcome us. One person in particular was a real asset and pleasure to work with. She works unstintingly for the good of the community and her name is Chelly Sturgess.
Rather tellingly I found it difficult to find any clear photos of Chelly as she tends to hide in the background. However, in the above photo Chelly, on the right, is about to be surprised by a film crew who ambushed her on the set of The Voice (you can just make them out in the background) in order to present her with an Award for Community work. Whenever I had a question to ask about Tintagel community and who’s who within it, Chelly replied within minutes. She knew everyone and anything she didn’t know, she knew who to ask to find out. Every community needs a Chelly!
So, although in a sense we had to start from scratch again when we moved venue, the process was relatively smooth although there were a lot of emails and messages whizzing around. We found, once we had decided and successfully hired our new venue at the Mayfair car park, that we had a lot more room than we were used to. This enabled us to expand and to experiment with having a few stalls. Also this meant that we were able to explore and focus on the Welsh/Cornish cultural connection more so we invited along a few special guests. More about that later.
We also leafleted Tintagel businesses so that they were pre-warned about the influx of 500 people or more so that they could prepare themselves. This information was also disseminated into the community via social media, explaining what the Dark Gathering was about and be there to answer any queries that locals might have.
Just prior to the event there were some very real concerns about the weather which produced many asking the question, “What will happen if it rains?” to which the standard and pragmatic response from us was, “You’ll get wet!”. Weather is always in the lap of the gods, particularly in Cornwall where the weather is akin to a sulky adolescent. As it happens, we watched the storm clouds build up and then rather nattily move round the sides of Tintagel. There was only one time where we got rained upon, and that was during the Parade and that was mizzle and was fleeting. However, I’m getting ahead of myself – back to the build up storyline.
At last the weekend was upon us and our feet hardly touched the ground as everything took off with gusto! Following one last meeting with our invaluable Gaffer, Martin Davis we set off for the King Arthur’s Arms. Friday night was busy meeting up with old friends and getting to know new ones, plus dishing out umpteen wristbands to performers as they arrived.
Early the next morning we set off for the venue where a small army of volunteers and marshals were already busy setting the space up for the Dark Gathering. It looked amazing. I am full of awe regarding the sterling work that Martin our Gaffer had produced by managing and supplying the equipage for the Dark Gathering. He performed wonders with signage and we even had our very own Dark Gathering flag! Fantastic.
In the afternoon just before lift off I recall the moment when I was standing there watching the performers busying themselves with their equipment and the audience settling themselves but full of anticipation. It’s always a magical and liminal time fuelled by the expectations of so many people – I usually refer to it as a ‘pinch me moment’. It really is a bit surreal when you think that, all these folks are here and have travelled miles across the country and some from other lands, just to experience an event that happened purely by chance, because we ran with a original good idea.
Then, bang on time at 3 pm the Dark Gathering 2023 started. We began in dynamic style with Beltane Border Morris dominating the stage with a oldie but goody rendition of White Ladies Aston involving 16 dancers. Beltane attended with a huge side which added up to 40 members, so they were out in full force. This was the first time we were able to accommodate so many dancers in our extended performance space.
The next act to perform was Bakanalia, a Border Morris side from Leicester. I invited this side because they were enthusiastic, lively and inclusive. They had performers of diverse physical and mental abilities with an excellent Band of talented musicians – they looked great too. I salute their altruism.
Then it was the turn of Ragged Oak from the West Midlands. Their high quality performance was impressive and although their side was small in number they more than made up for it with such vigour and skill. They managed to cover a huge amount of the performance space even though there was only four to six dancers. They were ably supported by the tribal beat of djembes from their Band. Magnificent.
I would like at this point to put a shout out for Kim Shadowland who has been steadfastly filming the live footage of the Dark Gathering for quite a few years now. It’s a element that we wished to offer to those folk who were either housebound or unable to be present for any reason, including those overseas. This way the Dark Gathering is immediate to so many but it wouldn’t happen without Kim’s input. Thank you Kim – you do a grand job!
The rest of the afternoon was spent being wonderfully entertained by these superb Morris sides. Here’s a selection of images to portray that:
Meanwhile in the streets of Tintagel and in and out of the pubs and other interesting premises, visitations were taking place…
The Mari Lwyds had arrived in town – was Tintagel ready for this?
Well, as it happens – yes! Chris who is one of the owners of the Tintagel Curiosity Shop is a Welsh speaker having been born and raised in Wales. Not only could he converse in Welsh, but he had produced his own verses so that the traditional pwnco ceremony could be performed on the threshold of his shop. No doubt this was a welcome surprise for the Welsh performers and the Mari Lwyds duly blessed the premises as only they can.
In another part of town, Mari Arianrhod had found the gin bar!
She was quickly joined by Cwmni Gwerin Pontypwl – Lechyd da!
Elsewhere Mari Seren was intent on a little retail therapy.
Even some renegade members of Bakanalia joined in some shopping.
Soon the shadows were lengthening as the sun set and it was time for the Parade.
I still haven’t quite landed since getting back home from the Dark Gathering in Tintagel. However, I now realise that in the excitement of it all, I forgot to announce the Guest Sides for next year.
From Lewes in East Sussex we have Black Powder Morris.
The other side will be Cutler’s Gate from Sheffield.
I will be writing my usual write up of the whole event in due time once we have recovered more from the intensity of it all. In the meantime I am happy to announce that, as this year’s Dark Gathering appears to have been a resounding success in its new home of Tintagel, we will be holding the next one on Saturday 26th October 2024.
N.B. Do not ask about tickets yet! You will be fully informed as always, nearer the time.
Here’s some useful information for all ticket holders.
Venue
The Mayfair car park. This is situated between the Mayfair gift shop and the Old School Hall on Fore Street, Tintagel.
You will need to collect your Dark Gathering wristbands from the Ticket Gate on production of your ticket confirmation email. This facility will be open from 12 noon. No wristband – no entry.
Priority will be given to people with wheelchairs and mobility issues for space at the front of the audience area.
There will be a food truck available for snacks and soft drinks, plus one retail craft stall.
Please use the waste bins available for all rubbish.
Public conveniences will be available across the main road opposite the venue. There are also some at the Tintagel Visitor Centre.
Parking
There will be no public parking at the venue. However, there will be 20 spaces available for Blue Badge parking.
There are 5 main car parks in Tintagel that can be utilised on the day, so you’ll be spoilt for choice!
Tintagel Visitor Centre – 102 spaces
Sword in the Stone car park – 100 spaces
King Arthur’s Arms car park – 258 spaces
Old Tintagel Country Club car park – 105 spaces
All the above car parks are open 24 hours and prices are roughly £1.00 an hour.
There is also the Car Park for the Castle which is in a field down the bottom of Fore Street and is gated. It shuts at 9 pm and I believe it charges £3.00 for the day.
On the day
The Dark Gathering event starts at 3 pm and will finish about 8 pm. There will be performances from Beltane Border Morris, Bakanalia and Ragged Oak, all afternoon until 5.30 pm when there will be a 30 min break.
At 6 pm a Lantern Parade commences which all are welcome to join in with lanterns/pumpkins – LED lights only please. This will start from the Old Tintagel Country Club car park and slowly make its way up Fore Street to the venue.
Then there will be performances from the Welsh Mari Lwyds and Cornish music and dancing.
Following this will be the remainder of the evening’s entertainment including the Ancestors’ Blessing.
Finally the Finale by Beltane Border Morris.
Remember to dress warmly and bring a torch with you.
This link will take you to a map outlining the designated areas
The waiting is over, or at least will be by noon tomorrow.
Remember that you will only be able to buy up to 6 tickets at a time, and that all tickets are non-refundable.
Keep your ticket(s) safe as you will need to exchange them for a wristband on the day of the Dark Gathering.
We have a thrilling line up of performers again this year, and because we now have more space and room to expand creatively, we are making more of our important Cornish/Welsh connection which is our raison d’etre for the event. There will be more celebration of dance and music between the two cultures and there may be the opportunity for some audience participation.
For the first time we are experimenting with having a few stalls to see how that works. If this proves to be popular, we may well extend this in the future.
There will be some limited parking on site with priority given to vehicles for the disabled. Any overspill will be directed to the several other car parks in Tintagel. You will find many retail outlets for food and drink, although there will be a food wagon onsite. Public conveniences are situated in the car park opposite the venue across the main road.
We would like to acknowledge and thank the residents of Tintagel, and the local Parish Council for their support and incredible help for the Dark Gathering – it has been very uplifting to receive such a warm welcome. Hopefully this year’s Gathering will prove to be fabulous and be of great benefit to the community of Tintagel, and will continue to be so in years to come. Onwards and upwards!
Oh, and since you’ve been so patient – Here is the link that you will need to apply for tickets: Dark Gathering Tickets
At the last Gathering I promised that I would guarantee that there would be a Dark Gathering in 2023. Well, to be honest, there were times in the last couple of months when that seemed less and less likely. We as a team did our utmost to organise the event using the only feasible site left to us in Boscastle, which was the part of the car park opposite the Cobweb Inn. However hard we tried it just wasn’t happening as we met obstructions and delays to the extent that we had to sit down and consider a Plan B. We had to face the hard reality that the Dark Gathering had outgrown the infrastructure of Boscastle and that it was time to move on.
So I’m here to announce that the Dark Gathering 2023 will be held in Tintagel. It will remain a ticketed event for now as this is the only sure fire method of raising sufficient funds to stage the Gathering, as well as the fact that we can control numbers. Our present licence only allows us up to 500 attendees which includes all performers and marshals. We will make sure that tickets will be available well in advance, and will issue adequate warning of their imminent release – so please be patient and do not ask us in the meantime, as taking time to answer these type of queries only distracts us from organising the event.
We will update you with further details about the venue as soon as they are confirmed. I appreciate that maybe not everyone will be happy about this decision to change locations, but we had no other viable options available to us. I agree with many that it’s not the same since we left the venue outside the Museum in Boscastle – but there’s nothing we could have done about that – it was a irreversible decision taken by others which we had no say over.
Tintagel has it’s own magic and is steeped in ancient history, it is only 4 miles away from Boscastle and I urge all of you who attend the Dark Gathering to continue to visit Boscastle during your stay in October. You will find that because Tintagel is a town rather than a village, it has more space and facilities which is good news. All the people I have spoken with thus far in my enquiries into Gathering possibilities are very welcoming and supportive of the event arriving in Tintagel.
I am sure I am not alone in thanking the local inhabitants and businesses of Boscastle for their unstinting support for the Dark Gathering over the years, with a special mention for all their invaluable input is, of course, the Museum of Witchcraft & Magic.
That’s all for now and keep watching for further updates via this website or our Facebook page: Dark Gathering FB Page
If there’s one thing in life that can be guaranteed, it is ‘that all things will change’. Even before the pandemic hit our shores in 2020 there was change in the air for the Dark Gathering. I had been informed that the National Trust no longer granted permission for fire to be used outside the Museum of Witchcraft & Magic and that there was to be a change of use to that area, meaning I had to find another venue for the future. The upper car park in Boscastle was mooted as a possibility and I started to explore this as a potential venue.
Then the pandemic hit, and the world fell into chaos. Businesses suffered and we effectively lost all of our funding. The Dark Gathering, along with countless other festivals and events, was put on hold for two years. Round about the same time the Museum of Witchcraft & Magic explained that they would be unable to help us produce the Gathering in the future, and that we would have to take on full administrative responsibility for it all from there on. We had to look long and hard at whether we continued with the Dark Gathering or not.
In March 2022 on St Piran’s Day, the members of our side, Boekka decided that we would pool our skills and attempt to keep the Dark Gathering alive.
Just in case you haven’t heard of Boekka, it’s our Oss and Teazer Team. Boekka means ‘scarecrow’ in Cornish, and we have been going to various events and festivals for the last 12 years.
Anyway, from that point we were on, not so much of a learning curve, more a learning leap! There was so much we had to establish from scratch, exploring possibilities as we went. The Dark Gathering gained an Administrator, Sally Ward who was an absolute star in finding her way through months of torturous red tape and bureaucracy. My role was more diplomatic, attempting to persuade authorities to grant various permissions; until we couldn’t go any further without the most important permission of all which had to be granted by Cornwall Council for the event to go ahead. We waited, and waited, whilst weeks, then months went by – until there was only 7 weeks to go when we finally got the go ahead. Then it was full tilt to try and organise tickets to replace our lost funding and to cover our costs. I want to stress here that I do not blame Cornwall Council for this delay. This is down to government cuts which left just one single person to run all of the seasonal events in Cornwall. I have received full support and co-operation from the Event Planning Department in Truro within their means.
Sadly, as we had to wait until September, we had to pare down our usual offerings that are part of the Dark Gathering. Thus, we were unable to have a parade this time as that too would have required yet another Event Licence with probably more waiting. Moreover, during this time the Wellington Hotel was sold to St Austell Brewery necessitating negotiations with the change of management regarding all the eccentricities of the Mari Lwyds and the Dark Gathering celebrations. We definitely had our work cut out!
What I have mentioned so far is in a way just the tip of the iceberg, as we then had to field all sorts of resistance to the change of venue, and the introduction of the concept of tickets jarred with some folk. Thankfully however, many backed us up in our efforts to rescue the Dark Gathering and we all so appreciated that support.
So eventually the day of the Dark Gathering finally arrived.
I recall standing in the middle of the upper car park with the other attendees at a site meeting of representatives for performers and marshals. We hadn’t realised how massive the site is once all the cars have been removed. Then we had issues with the surface, which was very slippery, but this was resolved when we found that the far end of the car park was more stable underfoot as it was less used. This was the main reason why the audience area was changed at the last minute. We will be addressing how the audience is placed for future Gatherings so that everyone has a reasonable view of the proceedings.
In the past all Dark Gatherings have started at 3 pm but following requests we decided on an earlier start time of 2 pm. This year we had a stellar line-up of performers, incidentally who had all been waiting for the last 2 years to entertain us. We kicked off with Mythago. For those not in the know, this is a masked side who tell stories and recount myths and legends through dance and music. They come from West Sussex and there is a definite ‘old magic’ ethos to them. I found them very evocative and loved their theatrical enactments.
Then it was the turn of Beltane Border Morris. This is the much imitated but never surpassed, Border Morris side that brings the wildness of Dartmoor to the Dark Gathering each year. Despite a heavy shower of rain during their first dances, they never faltered in their high-quality dancing and the Band played on regardless of the elements buffeting them. There was a high turnout this year, so we were treated to many dances with two sets of performers – a sight to behold for sure!
Then we were treated to the unique performances of Boggart’s Breakfast who were absolutely mesmerising. They came all the way from Sheffield to entertain us and it was well worth the 2 years wait to see them perform. Boggart’s ethos centres around the shape-shifting world of the mischievously wicked Boggart. I loved the eldritch quality of their music which was the perfect setting for their amazingly clever and skilful dances. Their appositely named ‘Impossible Dance’ defied belief as we watched it unfold. We were so caught up in its intricacy that no-one managed to capture it on video that day! So, here’s some footage from Chippenham Folk Festival 2011.
I seldom mention a side’s face paint, but there are always exceptions to the rule and Boggart’s Breakfast are truly… well, exceptional.
As the sun sank lower in the skies, there was a flurry of interest as Penkevyll the Land’s End Oss appeared from behind the audience, which set off the tribal drumming which was to summon the Mari Lwyds to the Dark Gathering.
Sure enough the Welsh contingent made their riotous way through the crowd to greet their Cornish cousins. The traditional Pwnco was sung in Welsh and Cornish and the Mari Lwyds gained access once more in a joyous reunion not having seen each other for over two years.
We knew that Boggart’s Breakfast had brought along their Giant Boggart, so we invited it to come out when the Mari Lwyds arrived. It was a little unsure at first, and then Penkevyll didn’t help when she got a little over enthusiastic and chased poor Boggart away. It did emerge again later though to join in one of the dances, so order was restored.
It was half an hour until sunset and time for a bit of theatre. This was the time for Mythago to weave their magic as they narrated the tale and acted out through theatre and dance, the Legend of Herne the Hunter. The backdrop of the trees of Minster Wood added poignancy to the story, especially when the ghostly White Hart appeared.
The afternoon’s entertainment was finished off with more dancing from Boggarts Breakfast including performing their version of the Stick and Bucket dance of Terry Pratchett fame.
Thus, we entered into the time in the Dark Gathering where we honour the Ancestors.
The Traveller’s Prayer was sung this year by three singers from Beltane Border Morris. It was very moving to hear the harmonies of this haunting song echoing around the woods surrounding us.
The genius loci or spirits of place were enticed by the use of bullroarers.
This preceded Wyrd is Woman, a song written and sung by Laura Marshall of Beltane Border Morris.
Someone described this song as ‘soul stirring’, and I’d agree.
Sadly, shortly before the Gathering this year, we heard that Will Fox had stepped down from being a member of Beltane Border Morris. This means we had to find someone else to replace him performing the Ancestor Blessing. This year we had Ben Giddey who filled the gap. He reminded us of what a vast amount of folk belonged to our own individual ancestries and requested that the more evolved of those to step forward in our rites, and those that still had issues to deal with to step back. This was followed by our now traditional Ancestor Chant which everyone joined in, in chorus.
This year’s performance of the famous Beltane Fire Dance had four different characters in the middle. A Mari Lwyd (Fflosi from Cwmni Gwerin Pontypwl), Herne the Hunter (from Mythago), a Boggart (from Boggart’s Breakfast) and a random Film Director (from German TV crew).
I didn’t realise until I had watched this footage all the way through that all of the Beltane dancers joined in with the Fire Dance towards the end – a sight to behold indeed! 😀
Then it was just a case of thanks to all of our supporters and volunteers.
Our worth-their-weight-in-gold Marshals! Here’s one of them, David – there were nine in all led by the worthy Team Leader, Martin Davis.
The invaluable and ever patient Administrator who dealt with countless queries about tickets: Sally Ward!
Our long-suffering MC, Steve Podger!
Most of all our thanks to all of you who bought tickets because without your support we could not have put on the Dark Gathering this year.
It had reached that time of night when I get to announce the next year’s Guest Sides which are:
Ragged Oak and Bakanalia.
Ragged Oak hail from the West Midlands and are a very lively Border Morris side.
Here’s an introduction from their FB page:
We are a small group of like-minded friends who have danced, played and sung together over many years in various different Morris sides including Cotswold, North-West and Border traditions.
We all have a deep love of the natural world doing our own thing in our own way – not trying to be anything to anyone – except to ourselves. We only have infrequent practices as most of us are committed to other sides and other lives. Our dances may be a little ragged, but our joy is infectious!
We’re coming out of the concrete towns and going back into the wild. Back to the places in the landscape of power and rugged beauty. To seek out others who wish to feel the wind in their tatters and the grass beneath their boots.
We mark and celebrate the turning of the seasonal year, it’s rites and rituals and seek out the curious and eccentric folk of these Isles. To be merry, to play music, to sing songs…… eat good food, drink fine Ale and enjoy good company.
The final dance was as always left to our Host Side, Beltane Border Morris – Haccombe to Death! 😀
Finally, it was all over after what seemed like endless work and persistence. The Dark Gathering had been superb and a triumph!
However, I am not totally oblivious to the attending logistical problems that arose for all of us, locals included. I believe that given goodwill, co-operation and patience, we will overcome some of the issues that arose through the use of the upper car park. We have already set in place future discussions and possible plans to alleviate the situation and hopefully secure the Dark Gathering for the future in Boscastle.
Whatever happens, there is one thing I can guarantee, that the Dark Gathering will continue even if the venue has to change again.
It is indeed sad news that the Dark Gathering has to be cancelled for the second year running. I had been working on trying to create a viable and manageable version that might go ahead for this year, and had been up until now, cautiously optimistic that we might be able to have a some sort of event at Boscastle this year.
However, I have now heard from the National Trust, via the Museum and Boscastle Chamber of Commerce, that they are unable to grant the appropriate licences for events this year due to the strain on their resources as a result of the pandemic. They hope that this will be a temporary measure only and that by next year their resources will improve enough to give permission to go ahead as before.
Obviously this is a huge disappointment, but the matter is out of my hands as the Dark Gathering completely relies upon the goodwill and co-operation of all concerned within Boscastle.
Let’s hope that very soon the global pandemic that is effecting so many will eventually run it’s course and be manageable enough for people to return to some degree of freedom with the return of our much loved community events and festivals.
So, for now the next Dark Gathering will be:
Saturday 29th October 2022
Stay well and stay safe!
Latest Update
I am delighted to confirm that we will be able to have the same line up of Morris sides as previously advertised. In other words, Beltane Border Morris, Mythago Morris and special Guest Side, Boggart’s Breakfast!
Here’s some footage of next year’s performers just to whet your appetite.
The Dark Gathering 