Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels

<body bgcolor="#000000">  <div align="center"> <table width="90%" border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><img src="images/logo3.jpg" width="305" height="187"></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><img src="images/frontpagepic.jpg" width="250" height="363"></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p align="center"><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4">Lots of new material is being processed right now! <br> The first of the videos is <a href="movie.ram"><b><i>here</i></b></a>!</font></p> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#FFFFFF">This video requires Real Player G2, which can be downloaded <a href="http://www.real.com" target="_blank"><b><i>here</i></b></a></font></p> <b> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4" color="#FFFFFF"><b>More </b></font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#FFFFFF" size="4">video will be available as soon as it is processed, including a full length movie which includes a musical accompaniment.</font></b></font> <br> <b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4" color="#FFFFFF">Please bear with us. </font></b></p> <p><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Welcome to the stunning annual event of Ottery's flaming Tar Barrels. What follows is a unique pictorial taster to an event that really does need to be seen to be believed. The pictures are now divided into five pages of thumbnails. </font></p> </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ottery St. Mary is internationally renowned for its Tar Barrels, an old custom said to have originated in the 17th century. Each of Ottery'scentral public houses sponsors a single barrel. In the weeks prior to the day of the event, November 5th, the barrels are soaked with tar. The barrels are lit outside each of the pubs in turn and once the flames begin to pour out, they are hoisted up onto local people's backs and shoulders. The streets and alleys around the pubs are packed with people, all eager to feel the lick of the barrels flame. Seventeen Barrels all in all are lit over the course of the evening. In the afternoon and early evening there are women's and boy's barrels, but as the evening progresses the barrels get larger and by midnight they weigh at least 30 kilos. A great sense of camaraderie exists between the 'Barrel Rollers', despite the fact that they tussle constantly for supremacy of the barrel. In most cases, generations of the same family carry the barrels and take great pride in doing so. It perpetuates Ottery St Mary's great sense of tradition, of time and of history. Opinion differs as to the origin of this festival of fire, but the most widely accepted version is that it began as a pagan ritual that cleanses the streets of evil spirits. It is an incredible night to remember - one of the biggest bonfires in the South West is ignited on the banks of the River Otter and behind it are the flashing neon's of the annual fun fair. </font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <div align="center"> <p><font color="#FFFFFF"><br> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br> </a></font></font><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Click <a href="guestbook/guestbook.asp"><i>here</i></a> to add to the Tar Barrels Guestbook<br> </font></p> <p><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hosted and Designed by <a href="http://www.cosmic.org.uk" target="_top"><i>Project COSMIC</i></a><br> The Home of <a href="http://www.eastdevon.net" target="_top"><i>East Devon Net</i></a></font></p> <p><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>All photographs in this website are copyright © Ian Clifford and Helen Bridges<br> Video By Ian Potter</b></font></p> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </div>  </body>