Barrel burning- New Year in Allendale
2nd January 2009 | Events, places to go & things to do.
Having sent people off to this marvellous spectacle but never been ourselves, we thought we had better give it a go.
It was a crispy, cold, clear night with a spectacular haw frost, we followed the trail of lights heading south up the valley to Allendale. We had to park on the road side about a mile befor the village and by the time we had walked to the square we were nicely acclimatised and well able to stand around without getting cold.
Although my photograph may look like a scene from the Spanish Inquisition, (my flash was in the car) the procession was very colourful, and the atmosphere was just what new year should be, at the end of the procession they threw the contents of the barrels onto the bonfire to ignite it. All in all a great way to spend New Year.
Here is some more information about Allendale courtesy of Wikipedia:
“The growth of Allendale Town and the surrounding villages was fuelled by that of the local lead-mining and smelting industries. The remains of two flues from the former smelting mill (between Allendale and Catton) run to chimneys up on the fells high above the village. The Smelting Mill is now home to the Brewery and the Allenmills Regeneration Project. In 1869, the Hexham to Allendale railway was opened to provide improved transport, but its opening coincided with a rapid decline in the industry due to cheap imports of lead. The last mines in the area closed in 1894 (although an attempt was made to re-open the mine at Allenheads in the 1970′s). The railway was finally closed to passengers in 1930 and to goods in 1950 (when the local terminus was bought by the stationmaster and opened as a caravan park.
The town is famous for a New Year celebration where lighted tar barrels are carried on the heads of revellers called “guisers”. This tradition dates back to 1858. Its appears to have originated from the lighting of a silver band that were carolling at New Year. They were unable to use candles to light their music due to the strong winds, so someone suggested a tar barrel be used. Having to move from place to place, it would have been easiest to carry the barrels upon the guisers heads, rather than rolling them. There have been claims that it is a pagan festival, however, these claims are unfounded.”
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