THE unique “Bawming the Thorn” festival at Appleton Thorn, Warrington celebrated the 40th anniversary of the revival of the ancient ceremony.
Original “Bawmers” – children who dance around the thorn tree in the middle of the village – joined this year’s event as VIP guests.
Originally part of a “walking day” event, the bawming ceremony died out in the 1930s.
It was revived by Mr Bob Jones, then headmaster at Appleton Thorn Primary School, in 1973 and is now a hugely popular annual event.
To amrk the occasion a Spitfire fly-past was arranged and a “flight” themed fancy dress parade took place – marking the area’s links with the former Stretton airfield, which closed after the end of World War 2.
Keeping with tradition the thorn tree was decorated as usual and school children sang the “Bawming” song as classmates danced around the tree.
According to legend, the hawthorn at Appleton Thorn grew from a cutting of the Holy Thorn at Glastonbury, which was said to have sprung from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea.
The current tree was planted in the late 1960s by the local Women’s Institute after the previous one blew down in a storm.
Appleton Thorn Pre-School get ready for lift off
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