BS: Beacons New Years Eve

Subject: Beacons New Years Eve
From: Little Dorritt
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 05:54 PM

On New Year's Eve beacons are being lit the length and breath of the British Isles. The last time I remember this being done was about five or six years ago but I can't remember why. Does anyone know the locations of these beacons. There is something very spiritual about this practice which fascinates me.

Subject: RE: BS: Beacons New Years Eve
From:
Date: 15 Dec 99 - 06:26 AM

" and the red glare on Skiddaw woke the burghers of Carlisle"
wasn't the last time for the Jubilee in 1977? the biggest one in the world is a gas fired one on the Thames and was being manoevered into position this week according to the local news. I think British Gas ( sounds like an ad for Keg Beer) might have something on it. Fire worship? Dorritt, how delightfully pagan or are you, like LtS and the Christmas pud just an incipient pyromaniac.

Subject: RE: BS: Beacons New Years Eve
From: Micca
Date: 15 Dec 99 - 06:29 AM

Sorrry, the above is from me, the work PC does not autosign.

Subject: RE: BS: Beacons New Years Eve
From: Skipjack
Date: 15 Dec 99 - 07:20 AM

I think your right, Micca, 'twer 77. The ones two years later were just folk keeping warm, when Maggie took over. I have an inkling there were a few fires on the South Coast for the (tercentenary?) Spanish Armada in the early 90's.

I know it's thread creep, but this pyro thing is an interesting divertion. Our (Blighty) annual catholic cooking festival for Guy Fawkes on November 5th has the pyre at the centre, but is this fire/beacon/whicker man still evidenced in other cultures?

Any ideas?

Skipjack

Subject: RE: BS: Beacons New Years Eve
From: bassen
Date: 15 Dec 99 - 08:24 AM

Beacons along the coast of Norway were the old signal system (bauner, varder) for the "leidang", the old norse equivalent of the Home Guard/National Guard. This system may date to pre-Viking iron age (400-700 AD). Beacons are being lit along the whole coast of Norway on the Big Night. Since the original sites are in some cases now classified as historical monuments, the new beacons must be lit some yards away...

Bonfires are otherwise the central element for celebrating the summer solstice/Midsummer's Eve in Scandinavia, in Norway called Sankt Hans or Saint John's Eve (John=Johannes=Hannes=Hans, for the pedants). This is thought to originate in a need to help the sun through the shortest night of the year. You'd think old sol needed more help at the winter solstice. But dancing around a bonfire, getting drunk and cavorting in the bushes is decidedly more fun in summer.

bassen

Subject: RE: BS: Beacons New Years Eve
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 15 Dec 99 - 10:23 AM

Any beacons on the Berkshire Downs? Or anywhere near Berkshire? I would really like to go to one but don't know how to find out about them.. Failing that we shall just have a bonfire in the garden & play all our favourite songs on tapes & CD, and then do some guitar & singing. Bit sad just on our owns though. Anyone know of a beacon where there'll be singing????

Kris

Subject: RE: BS: Beacons New Years Eve
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 07:42 AM

refresh........