BUDE Heritage Festival, organised by Bude-Stratton Town Council, is an annual event intended to celebrate and showcase the people, places, inventions and achievements of the town and wider Cornish culture as well as providing an enjoyable family day out, writes Christine Williams.

It began with a loud bang or two last Saturday morning, July 28, when the Sealed Knot fired their cannon on the Castle lawn. Sadly owing to the severe weather during the preceding night that was as far as they got with their re-enactment of the Battle of Stratton, which was to have taken place on its 375th anniversary on Summerleaze Downs, but had to be cancelled. Nevertheless the members of the Sealed Knot dressed in 17th century costume entertained with weapon demonstrations and offered visitors the chance to experience 17th century military life and readily answered their questions.

Sunday, July 29, began unpromisingly but by late morning the drizzle had ceased, crowds of visitors began to arrive and in the afternoon the sun broke through. John Collacott on the PA system kept everyone informed about what was happening and entertainment began on the bandstand: the dancers of the Carnkie Cloggers, later followed by young Liskeard singer Rosie Ugalde, the local ukulele band and Bude Metric Brass while guitar virtuoso AidanB performed in the marquee.

Members of the Sealed Knot in their Civil War Living History Camp had stayed on and Martin Hazell, Yeoman senior member of Sealed Knot, recounted the Battle of Stratton, the first major battle of the English Civil War. In the castle there was a tour of the permanent displays on the history of the area and a chance to enjoy Bude Art Society’s summer exhibition.

In a large marquee were examples of the work of local craftsmen and women and local artists: wooden toys, hand-made jewellery wooden ware handcrafted in Bude, jams and chutneys, bottles of ‘Cornish Moonshine’ and fudge attracted admiring attention. Linda Mora, a medical herbalist, gave free family workshops and later led herbal walks around the grounds and along the canal to gather and learn about the properties of herbs.

Outside Mr Showers entertained the children with his balloon modelling, circus workshop teaching skills such as juggling, hoola-hoops and walking on stilts. There was a bouncy castle and a chair-a-plane with nearby Ann Raymond’s confectionary stall with a tempting array of sweets and candyfloss.

In the Parkhouse Centre were a beautiful display of watercolours and a variety of community and heritage stalls. Next year will be the 200th anniversary of the opening of the canal and the Bude Canal Trust and Bude Canal and Harbour Society displays were reminders of how the precious heritage of the canal and harbours is being preserved and extended, not forgetting the efforts of ‘Save our Sea Pool’ to preserve that valuable asset. Next year too Bude Twinning Association’s stall reminded that they will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the town’s link with Ergue Gaberic. A number of other local organisations and charities which greatly enhance the community were present: Greener Bude, Friends of the Earth, Bude Marine Group, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Animal Free of medical research, Horticultural and Honey Society, Bude Old Cornwall Society, Freemasons, Connect Bude and SINNG which is working to eradicate the spread of sea mussels. On the stage there was a demonstration of exercise for mobility.

By the canal the Bude Pilot Gig Club offered visitors a chance to try out rowing in their wooden gig ‘Bedehaven’. As the day drew to a close the mayor, Bob Willingham, breathless after ‘having a go’ on the club’s rowing machine, expressed his thanks to the council staff and heritage volunteers for putting on such a wonderful show. He said: “Despite the weather, we have had two successful days which visitors have clearly enjoyed, and which demonstrated how fortunate we are to have such a wonderful public facility as our Heritage Centre”.

Child winners of the show classes competition: A jar of jam — Jackie; A jar of chutney — Caroline; A Victoria sandwich — Marisa; A trio of decorated cupcakes — Chloe; A flower arrangement — Maria; A jam jar posy of garden cut flowers (under 13s) — Ravi; A comical vegetable/fruit sculpture — Peter; The fullest matchbox — Ruby; A Civil War Lego sculpture — Henry; A ‘Bude Heritage’ photograph — Lee; A ‘Bude Heritage’ photograph (under 13s) — Scarlett; A creature from the sea sculpture — Heather.