Appleton Thorn | |
---|---|
St. Cross Church, Appleton Thorn | |
Location within Cheshire | |
Population | 10,477 (2001) |
OS grid reference | SJ640839 |
Civil parish | |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | WARRINGTON |
Postcode district | WA4 |
Dialling code | 01925 |
Police | Cheshire |
Fire | Cheshire |
Ambulance | North West |
UK Parliament | |
Appleton Thorn is a village in the borough of Warrington in Cheshire, England.
Appleton appeared in the Domesday survey as Epeltune, [1] meaning "the tun where the apples grew".
Each June, the village hosts the ceremony of "Bawming the Thorn". The current form of the ceremony dates from the 19th century, when it was part of the village's "walking day". [2] It involved children from Appleton Thorn Primary School walking through the village and holding sports and games at the school. This now takes place at the village hall. The ceremony stopped in the 1930s, but was revived by the then headmaster, Bob Jones, in 1973. [3] "Bawming the Thorn" occurs on the Saturday nearest to Midsummer's Day.
Local schoolchildren dance around the tree in the style of a maypole chanting verses to the tune of Bonnie Dundee , with the following repeated chorus: [1]
Up with fresh garlands this midsummer morn,
Up with red ribbons on Appleton Thorn.
Come lasses and lads to the Thorn Tree today
To bawm it and shout as ye bawm it "Hurray"! [1]
Bawming means "decorating" – during the ceremony the thorn tree is decorated with ribbons and garlands. According to legend, the hawthorn at Appleton Thorn grew from a cutting of the Holy Thorn at Glastonbury, which was itself said to have sprung from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea, the man who arranged for Jesus's burial after the crucifixion. [2]
Thorn Cross (HM Prison) is in Appleton Thorn, on the site formerly occupied by Royal Naval Air Station HMS Blackcap, a wartime aircrew training and aircraft repair airfield. There are a number of graves of aircrew who died at HMS Blackcap, mainly in flying accidents, in St Cross churchyard, known locally as "the war graves".
Appleton Thorn falls under the borough of Warrington ward of Grappenhall and Thelwall, and the UK House of Commons constituency of Warrington South, whose MP since 2019 is Andy Carter of the Conservative Party.
Beltane or Bealtaine is the Gaelic May Day festival, marking the beginning of summer. It is traditionally held on 1st May, or about midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Historically, it was widely observed in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. In Irish the name for the festival day is Lá Bealtaine while the month of May is Mí na Bealtaine, in Scottish Gaelic Latha Bealltainn, and in Manx Gaelic Laa Boaltinn/Boaldyn. Beltane is one of the four main Celtic seasonal festivals—along with Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh—and is similar to the Welsh Calan Mai.
A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, around which a maypole dance often takes place.
Warrington South is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Andy Carter, a Conservative Party politician.
Winwick is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. Located within the historic boundaries of Lancashire, it is situated about three miles north of Warrington town centre, nearby is junction 22 of the M6 and Junction 9 of the M62. Winwick also borders Newton-le-Willows and Burtonwood.
Lymm is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It incorporates the hamlets of Booths Hill, Broomedge, Church Green, Deansgreen, Heatley, Heatley Heath, Little Heatley, Oughtrington, Reddish, Rushgreen and Statham. At the 2021 United Kingdom census it had a population of 12,700. The village is situated in the northern aspect of Cheshire and borders Greater Manchester to the East and lies 1 mile from the border of Salford to the north.
Stockton Heath is a civil parish and suburb of Warrington, in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It is located to the north of the Bridgewater Canal and to the south of the Manchester Ship Canal, which divides Stockton Heath from Latchford and north Warrington. It has a total resident population of 6,396.
Thelwall is a suburban village in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England, close to the Lymm junction of the M6 motorway.
Burtonwood is a village in the civil parish of Burtonwood and Westbrook, in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, the name Burtonwood is known worldwide as the location of the former RAF Station Burtonwood military camp. Burtonwood village itself is a few miles away from the site of the former station. The civil parish also includes Westbrook, which is a council ward and suburb of Warrington. According to the 2001 census, the population of the entire civil parish was 11,265.
Warburton is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. Historically in Cheshire, Warburton lies on the south bank of the River Mersey between the borough of Warrington and Greater Manchester. In the 21st century, the village remains predominantly rural. Altrincham is the nearest town. According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 286.
Festive ecology explores the relationships between the symbolism and the ecology of the plants, fungi and animals associated with cultural events such as festivals, processions, and special occasions. Examples of topics are given below.
HM Prison Thorn Cross is a Category D Adult Male Institution for males it previously was for young men aged 18-25. More recently changing to an open Cat D for any man 18 or older. The prison is located in the village of Appleton Thorn in Cheshire, England. Thorn Cross is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
Culcheth and Glazebury is a civil parish in Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 8,534.
St Cross Church is in the village of Appleton Thorn, Cheshire, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Great Budworth. Its benefice is combined with that of St Matthew's Church, Stretton.
St Matthew's Church is in the village of Stretton, Cheshire, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Great Budworth. Its benefice is combined with that of St Cross, Appleton Thorn.
Royal Naval Air Station Stretton, was an airfield situated in the village of Appleton Thorn, though named for the neighbouring village of Stretton, south of Warrington, in Cheshire, England. Although the main runway remains, the northerly part of the airfield is now HM Prison Thorn Cross, and an industrial estate. In the 1970s, the M56 motorway was built across the former air station.
Appleton is a civil parish in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It contains 25 buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings. The parish is partly residential, including the village of Appleton Thorn, and is otherwise mainly rural. The Bridgewater Canal runs along its northern border, the A49 road is to the west, and the M6 motorway is to the east. Most of the listed buildings are residential, are related to farming, or are associated with the canal and roads in the parish. The exceptions to this are the village church, a war memorial, an obelisk, and a Medieval cross base.
Warrington is an industrial town in the borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and until 1974, was part of Lancashire. It is 19 miles (31 km) east of Liverpool, and 18 miles (29 km) west of Manchester.
England traditionally celebrates a number of Christian and secular festivals. Most are observed throughout the country but some, such as Oak Apple Day, Souling, Rushbearing, Bawming the Thorn, and Hocktide, are local to certain regions.
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