Ash
“Beats The Bounds”
Perfect
weather greeted 33 parishioners and friends who “Beat The Bounds”
of Ash Parish Council on Saturday 7 th October, 2006. Led by Parish
Council Chairman, Councillor Graham Foat, the group repeated the
ancient tradition of marking the parish boundary by travelling
its complete length.
The
boundary of Ash is about 19 miles long, but fortunately, several
miles are formed by the River Stour so most participants were
pleased to travel the stretch from Pluck’s Gutter to Richborough
Roman Fort courtesy of the Sandwich River Bus. Never the less,
the complete walk took 10 hours.
Now
organised by the Parish Council, “Beating The Bounds” was done
by ecclesiastical parishes in earlier times and it was traditional
to “bump” the local vicar on boundary stones that marked the parish.
These days if a vicar is not available the youngest participants
of the walk are bumped and this was done on a stone at Pluck’s
Gutter. For good measure the oldest person on the walk was also
bumped! |
