This is a QSL card that I produced and sent out to some of the stations I worked around the time of the raising of the Maypole.
Although many people may not be familiar with the Barwick maypole outside Yorkshire they may be all too familiar with the tune associated with it. The Yorkshire composer, Arthur Wood wrote a tune in 1924 called 'Barwick Green' based on a maypole dancing tune.
It is now more commonly known as the theme tune to the popular Radio 4 'institution', 'The Archers'.The maypole used at Barwick is reputedly the oldest and tallest in England standing at 88 feet. Every three years the maypole is lowered, re-painted on Easter Monday in preparation for the may day.
The earliest written reference to the Barwick maypole dates from 1829 when the poet Edward Burlend recounted the stealing of the pole. The pole was threatened by the community at Garforth, but they were not alone. In 1907 the would-be robbers were from Aberford and they escaped with the top section of the maypole. In both instances the maypole was retrieved in time.
This 'maypole spoiling' is not an ancient occurrence. In 1966 when Aberford once again removed the top section of the maypole prior to raising and hidden. Luckily is was rediscovered in time.
In recent years the maypole at Barwick has been protected by burglar alarms!
In the Wars of the Roses this was the bloodiest Battle ever fought on British soil, with casualties believed to have been in excess of 20,000 and perhaps as many as 30,000 men.
The battle took place on Palm Sunday 29 March 1461. It was fought in a driving snow blizzard on a plateau between the villages of Towton and Saxton in Yorkshire (about 12 miles southwest of York and about 2 miles south of Tadcaster).
Part of the reason so many died is perhaps because in the parley before the battle both sides agreed that no quarter would be given nor asked.
It is said that the small stream (Cock Beck) that runs through the site of the battle ran red with blood for weeks afterwards. The site of this battle is only a few miles from my QTH. I sent this card out to some of the stations that I worked on or around Palm Sunday.
