Whit Walks

"W" is for "Whit Walks" and today's photos show scene's from Ashton's Whit Walks, which took place on Sunday afternoon.

Members of churches from different parts of Ashton process to the town centre, each accompanied by a band. The churches assemble for a united service of witness. Then all the churches walk together around the town centre before splitting and and returning to their starting points.

Other townsfolk turn out to watch the walk and listen to the bands. It is not at all a solemn religious procession - it is a very jolly affair, with the bands playing bright marches and people waving and calling out to other people they know.

In the past, when money was even more scarce than it is now, Whitsun may have been the only time in the year when people got to wear new clothes. This custom actually did have a religious origin, as Whitsun celebrates the time when the Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, went out and recruited the first Christians. The new clothes are symbolic of starting a new life.

This year, for a change, Ashton's Whit Walks once again took place on the traditional date of the Sunday after Whit Sunday - but only because that coincided this year with the third Sunday of June, which is now the fixed date for the walks. Nearby Mossley and Saddleworth still have their Whit Walks on the traditional Whit Friday, as reported here yesterday.


Above: Walkers from St Gabriel's Church, Cockbrook. Below: Dobcross Band


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"Whit Walks" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "W" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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Whit Friday Band Contests

Whit Friday is a bit special in this part of the world. Many of you have probably never heard of Whit Friday but in the areas around Saddleworth and Mossley it is one of the highlights of the year! Traditionally for many people it is a day off work. In the morning, the churches of the area hold services of witness and then parade through the streets accompanied by brass bands. This is still an important event in Mossley although it is even more spectacular in nearby Saddleworth.

Then, in the evening, hundreds of brass bands from around the country, along with some from overseas, tour round as many of the band contests in the area as they can manage. There are a number of contests throughout Tameside, including at The Broadoak Hotel and at Hurst Cross in Ashton, and in Mossley, as shown in these photos. There are even more contests in the various villages of Saddleworth. Some people like the crowds in the popular venues, such as Uppermill and Delph, while others prefer the more intimate atmosphere of the smaller contest venues.

Each contest sees at least 40 bands during the six hour event, while some see as many as 80! It is also a good evening out for anyone keen on coach-spotting!

The photo at the top shows the superb band from Wardle High School in Rochdale playing and marching along Market Street in Mossley towards the contest venue.

The photo below shows Mossley Band on home turf performing their set piece in front of the adjudicator's caravan on St Joseph's School playground. Not a very colourful photo, I'm afraid, but Mossley Band's uniform is black and the evening was a little grey!


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"Whit Friday Band Contests" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

Please look back in tomorrow for another "Whit"-related post.

Volunteer Inn

"V" is for "Volunteer Inn" and today's photo shows the door of Ashton's former Volunteer Inn. The Volunteer Inn stood on Old Street, opposite the Armoury, which was a drill hall for the volunteer regiment, which is how the pub got its name.

The pub has now closed and is used as the offices of a funeral director. The Armoury is now home to Ashton's Territorial Army. However, the glazed door of the pub, showing the words "Volunteer Inn" has been re-located in the mess bar inside the Armoury building.

A photo of the former Volunteer Inn featured as a "V" post a year ago.

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"Volunteer Inn" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "V" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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Ugly Face

"U" is for "Ugly Face" and today's photo shows a stone carved with an ugly face, which can be found in the Dingle in Stamford Park (see photo below).

Ashton Parish Church was partly rebuilt several times in the Victorian period and it is thought that some of the old stones that were not re-used found their way here and were used to build rustic walls in the valley known as the Dingle when Stamford Park was being created.



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See Bird's Eye View of this location.

"Ugly Face" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "U" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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