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- MEDIA RELEASE -
CELTIC TRADITIONS REVIVED AT BEAST BURNING An ancient Celtic celebration is being revived at Colliford Lake Park at the end of the month when a 30 ft high wooden sculpture of The Beast of Bodmin Moor, created by a Cornwall-based internationally renowned sculptor, will be brought to life though flames. Sculptor Robert Bradford has started work on his “beast fire sculpture” at his workshop in St Issey near Wadebridge, in preparation for the frame of the mammoth sized beast to be transported to Colliford Lake Park. Over the next three weeks the wooden frames will be clad with timber to take the form of a surreal mammoth sized beast which will be ceremoniously burned as part of an ancient Celtic tradition on Sunday October 30 th. This will be the third consecutive year that Colliford Lake Park in North Cornwall has offered an ‘alternative’ to modern Halloween festivities, in a celebration which aims to reconnect Cornish people with their Celtic roots, reviving the ancient practices of their ancestors in pre-Christian times. In the Celtic calendar, the end of October marks the start of the New Year, as it is at this time of year that farming communities had brought in and stored their harvest and moved and secured livestock ready for the winter. It was a time for the old year to leave us and the New Year, along with its fresh promise, to be born. Ancient Celts also believed that during this time the gap between this world and the afterlife was at its smallest, enabling the ghosts of the dead to mingle with the living. Bonfires were lit to honour those that had departed and help them on their journey to the next world as well as bringing the living good fortune for the year ahead. Chris Franklin, owner of Colliford Lake Park, explains how his passion to embrace Celtic roots has led him to recreate an ancient tradition with the burning of the beast:
“Over recent years there has been a recognisable change in the way that many people living in Cornwall have become more aware of their Celtic roots and have wanted to find out more about the forefathers. Bodmin moor is renowned for its mystical ambiance which lends itself perfectly for holding a celebration that would have been an important part in lives of Celtic people many years ago. “The wooden sculpture that we will burn is an interpretation of the Beast of Bodmin Moor as it is my way of celebrating another year of the mystic beast being alive, which draws people all year around to visit the moors in the hope of catching a glance of the illusive creature. “Although many of the people that live in Cornwall no longer live directly off the land the festival is still relevant as instead of encouraging prosperity for the future harvest we can hope for a new year that brings another great harvest of people through tourism, which is of course such an important part of the county’s economy.” The Burning of the Beast promises to an awesome sight as the culmination of hundreds of hours of work by Robert Bradford meets its destiny in a sea of licking flames and fireworks. The cracking and hissing sounds of the fire, along with the whizzing and popping of fireworks exploding from the sculpture, provide a mesmerising multi-sensual display that gives the illusion of the mythical beast coming to life, roaring and growling before and slowly dying before your eyes.
Robert Bradford describes the unique challenges and rewards of creating fire sculptures: “Although I work with various types of media I get a particular kind of deep satisfaction when producing fire sculptures which are really more accurately described as theatrical performances than conventional sculpture.
“The impermanence of the structure means that the audience watch its birth, life and eventual death and are held almost mesmerised, taking in every aspect of the changes they see happening in front of them. Fire creates an intensity of image which isn’t possible with any other form – there’s also the noise, smell and feel of heat on your face and the spectacle of fireworks to tell the story of the Beast’s life, which all add to the drama of the event.
In another tradition that dates back to old Celtic times, visitors to the beast burning will be able to take part in a symbolic practice to shed any worries or fears and start the New Celtic Year unburdened by burning their worries. An offering box, which will contain small burnable items like letters, photographs and written worries, will be ceremoniously burned on a smaller second bonfire before the main beast burning event.
Although strongly anchored in the Celtic past, and offering an extremely different experience to other Halloween celebrations, the Burning of the Beast at Colliford Lake Park is still very much a family focused event. There will be a parade of beastly paper lanterns made by children during workshops in North Cornwall during half term week which will be led by the primordial pounding rhythms of local drumming group ‘Drumba Samba’. Entertainment from fire eaters, giant puppets, stilt walkers, a fun fair and a monstrous barbeque ensures that all ages can immerse themselves in the Celtic celebrations.
Tickets for the Beast Burning Events are available at £6 adults / £5 for children and should be booked in advance from Colliford Lake Park on 01208 821469, North Cornwall Arts on 01840 214220 or online at www.wegottickets.co.uk and entitle free entry to the park from 11am. Book early to avoid disappointment as there will be only limited tickets available on the night.
The evening’s festivities will get underway at 5pm with the lighting of the smaller bonfire for burning of the troubles offering box. At 6.15pm the eerie procession of lanterns will slowly weave its way around the Park, setting the scene for the spectacular sight of the Beast Burning from 7pm.
Children can take part in Colliford’s Autumn Celtic festival by taking part in one-day workshops run by North Cornwall Arts from Monday at locations in North Cornwall from Monday 24 th October to Thursday 27 th October and at Colliford Lake Park on Sunday 30 th October – The day of the Beast Burning. Run by sculptor and installation artist Amanda Lorens, who is already well known for her fabulous lantern creations for Truro’s City of Lights and The Eden Project’s ‘Time of Gifts’ processions, the full day lantern making workshops cost £8 (£5 for the Sunday morning workshop) and are open to all ages although children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult. The workshop fee includes free entry to the Beast Burning to join the lantern procession. Advance booking is essential. To book a place on a lantern making workshop call North Cornwall Arts on 01840 214223.
Fact Box
You can also buy your tickets at the following outlets:
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