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Anno Domini 921 -1921
Five Scenes.
By Joseph Enos Smith.
Scene 1 The Pastoral Scene.
An Imagination.
I picture that old grene as part of a mound, a hillock, or bank, in its natural state about one thousand years ago. The Church of St. Mary I suppose was begun to be built probably about that date. Nine hundred. It is not very likely that people would build a church unless there was a fair sized population. I can picture the children playing about the old bank and most likely sheep roving about and cattle grazing. We know the church has been built, so we can imagine the old builders preparing the magnificent site (similar to Earls Barton, Raunds and Stanwick), the villagers watching the heavy stone being hauled and carried up, the children looking on and wondering the cause of this commotion. This mound would extend westwards right from the church to the rippling brook without any particular roads cutting across, most likely a bridle road, as no doubt a lot of the material would be carried that way. It is a pity we have no records, not even a date cut in the stones so far back.
Scene II The Forge Scene. (about 1521)
I march on five or six centuries, as I know nothing of what happened, only I suppose the population and the church grew and it needed more trades to serve the inhabitants. A “Village Smithy” or “Blacksmith’s Forge” was built on the green (an act of usurpation) so by now it was partly cut off (or separated) from the churchyard by the road or roads. The old “Bakehouse” in Scott’s old house just below may have been built about this time. In this picture we can see the youngsters (descendants of the former) playing around the blacksmith’s forge, watching the glow and the sparks of the fire dancing up and down, “listening to the ring of the anvil in common time, measure and rhythm – one two three rest, or two-four time one two, one two, the horses and perhaps oxen standing around to be shod, a few agricultural implements lying about to be repaired, an old shepherd too may have been, or going, to the common to attend his sheep with his faithful dog and perhaps carrying a lantern. I think, perhaps, the old elm trees in the churchyard might have been planted the latter part of this time. No doubt the green extended 10 or 12 feet further east on the top side. There was a house mentioned as being on the Green at this time, but it may have meant one of those which stood close to the Pound.
Scene III The “Round House” Scene. (about 1821)
Beginning of the 19th century. The Smithy is down and the Round House appears. If it could have spoken what tales it could have told, but the following will suffice: On one occasion “Mop and Pail Day” it appears that the younger inhabitants of the village adhered tenaciously to certain ancient customs, but especially the Mop and Pail. On one particular night a host of them went in accordance with their annual custom to collect mops, pails, brooms and wheelbarrows, carts, and every moveable article they could lay their hands on. These they placed on the Green in a confused heap, there to await the coming morn, when the sport began. At an early hour the lady owners of the mops etc., were seen rushing in crowds towards the grand depot, where a merry scene ensues. Some of the gentle dames were tugging at one mop or doing ditto to a water vat, other wielding certain articles to the imminent danger of the heads or ribs of their neighbours. It was customary for a fiddler to stand on an elevated spot and play “Happy Land”. The men said little, but one old lady entered into a full and learned definition of the custom. They got into trouble over this affair.
Scene IV The Queen’s Jubilee Period and the Coronation of King Edward VII and King George V
The stocks and the Round House have gone and the Chestnut tree appears in about the same place. The tree was presented by Mr. Michael Mason in honour of the marriage of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, to Alexandra, daughter of Christian IX King of Denmark, March 16th 1863. It was planted by John Odell Whitehead, gardener at the Hall. The hole was dug by William Clayton, under gardener at the Hall. The tree around the Green were planted in 1887, Jubilee year. Many old and young have rested on the seat under the old tree and listened to the lectures, services, the bands, concerts, etc., as well as watched the passing show.
One time the Feast was held on the Grene. The old church underwent a great restoration, about £6,000 being spent upon it in 1873-4-5.
The spire has been restored twice during this time, eight or nine feet taken down and replaced about 30 or more years ago and just recently the steeple-jack was seen moving about up top (as easily as people on the ground) and could be watched from the old seat. Daniel Dickens and Joe Ingram also climbed the spire. A new west approach to the church was made, and the churchyard wall set back during this time. The ancient bakehouse across the brook is now blocked up. The Adult School building is on the north. Some years ago the father of the late Mr. John Claridge bought the old Pound. The old Pump and Trough vanished. What will the appearance be like a century hence? One thing is pretty certain, not a single person living will be alive then.
Scene V The Memorial Scene (1921)
The Smithy, the House, the Stocks, the Round House, and the Tree have all gone, and on, or near, the same spot as the Tree stood the Memorial has been built. The site was pegged out on Monday June 27th, on Tuesday the 28th the men were digging the foundation: Monday August 8th, the first course of stone laid; Thursday August 25th, the course of stone with the inscription. The Memorial completed on Saturday September 24th and on the day following, Feast Sunday, September 25th it was unveiled, it being a perfect autumn afternoon. Amidst crowds of people, the service took place between the hours of 3 and 4 o’clock. A very large number of magnificent wreaths were placed on the steps of the Memorial, so all has been done which can be to honour those brave sons of Rushden on the “Old Church Grene.”
“Non Sibi Sed Patriae” Not for himself, but for his Country.
22 Church Street, Rushden.
September 27th 1921.
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