Shrove Tuesday is approaching and we are preparing to indulge in the tradition of eating pancakes. But there is another centuries-old tradition also occurring on Shrove Tuesday that we want to shine a light on.
In Corfe Castle, Shrove Tuesday is the day when the Purbeck quarrymen meet to enrol the new quarrymen. The ceremony is detailed in The Dorset Federation of Women’s Institutes Diamond Jubilee Book, 1977. The tradition dates back to the formation of The Ancient Order of Purbeck Marblers in 1651 by Royal charter.
Apprentices gather in the Fox Inn before midday when a church bell tolls to call the quarrymen together. A Chaplain takes a service for the quarrymen who then have their Annual General Meeting in the Town Hall. Following the AGM, sponsors of the new apprentices put forward the case for those who wish to be enrolled.
“To become a quarryman you must either be a quarryman’s son, have married a quarryman’s daughter, or have served as an apprentice for 7 years”.
If accepted, the apprentices must make their way to the town hall with “one penny lofe” (baked especially by a local baker) and “two poots of before” (2 pints of ale). But there is a catch! The quarrymen line the street and try to steal or drink the beer! We have managed to find photographic evidence of this part of proceedings from 1974. If you recognise yourself or a family member, please let us know!
The apprentices who eventually arrive at the Town Hall with two full pints (usually after several refills at The Fox) pay the dues of six shillings and eightpence and are enrolled. According to the ancient charter:
“… the last married to bring a ffoot ball, according to the custome of the company.”
The ball is kicked down the High Street to Halves field where a short game is played. The ball is then kicked back to the Town Hall.
The ceremony finishes with the apprentices taking the peppercorn rent to Arne – for the farmer whose land the stone is taken across to waiting boats. And not a pancake tossed or eaten all day!
For more on the history of Purbeck quarrymen, you can view The Queen Anne’s film made by Windrose Rural Media Trust.
Shrove Tuesday -Corfe Castle Photographs
D-SL1/10/5 JOHN EDMONDS in green boiler suit and REG PRIOR white jumper and woolly hat.
D-SL1/199/19 TREVOR CATTLE blue jeans bending over with left BILL HANCOCK and right ARTHUR HANCOCK with ball.
D-SL1/199/2 BILL HANCOCK on the left with hat and ARTHUR HANCOCK
on right with JOHN EDMONDS in the centre
Thank-you for this information Beryl! We can update our catalogue with these names!
I always understood that the quarrymen went to Ower Quay, not Arne.
I still have some peppercorns inherited from a cousin who forty years ago lived at Ower Farmhouse. Once a year the Purbeck marblers used to visit her with a pound of pepper and a football. They would offer to kick it along the lane to the quay, but she never insisted, and instead gave them tea and cake.