The Gazetteer
Berkshire
Green Men of Berkshire - Herne's Oak is in Windsor Great Park. William Shakespeare weaves ancient stories into the Merry Wives of Windsor:
"There is an old tale goes that Herne the Hunter,
Sometime a keeper here in the Windsor Forest,
Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,
Walk round about an oak, with great ragged horns".
Hungerford - Hocktide Celebrations on the second Tuesday after Easter. Elected "Tuttimen" carrying long staves decorated with spring flowers and topped with an orange visit houses exacting a penny from the men and a kiss from the women and give an orange in exchange. It is a celebration of the granting of fishing rights to the town by John of Gaunt in the 14th century. Hocktide and the regional variation, Lifting, were once practised countrywide. Hungerford is now thought to be the only Hocktide celebration in the country.
Mapledurham - Blossom Day, Cross Lanes Fruit Farm, - a chance to see the blossom at its best on 60 varieties of apple and pear trees. Usually first weekend in May but call in early-mid April to check: +44(0)118 972 3167 or e-mail apples [at] crosslanesfruitfarm.co.uk
Brimpton, Hurley, Reading, Welford.
Reading - WOMAD (World of Music and Dance) festival, which has established itself as an annual event at Rivermead, usually in the last weekend in July. Contact +44(0)1225 743188.
Apple Day, October 21st
Find events in Berkshire and across the country on the APPLE DAY EVENTS LIST
or read about Berkshire Orchards and Orchard Produce
TELL US about an event you are holding : email info [at] commonground.org.uk
