Buttway - Cliffe History

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The Buttway

In Edwin Harris ‘History of Cliffe-at-Hoo’ “the Village   Green adjoining the churchyard on the south goes by the name   of Butt-way, and probably an undisclosed portion of the area   upon which the Parish butts were set up in the days when the   use of the long-bow was obligatory upon every able-bodied   free-man below the rank of knight or Esquire.”
In years gone by when, following the granting of a   Charter in 1247 permitting it, a three day fair, was held   annually, it is assumed that the Buttway was where the fair   was held.
In the early part of the present century, Lord Darnley   and the Rector, who were jointly, “Lords of the Buttway”   voluntarily, surrendered their rights to the Parish Council,   in order that it should serve a ‘public good.’
Harvest Home. (excerpt from Cliffe Parish Almanack, 1868)

On Thursday the 20th August, we   held our “Thanksgiving Service” for the blessing of the   Harvest. The labourers met on the Buttway at half-past   twelve, and walked - each farm under its own banner – to the   Church, the bells from the steeple giving out a joyous peal.   The service was choral....... The Church as usual was   decorated with appropriate Harvest emblems......The dining   booths were erected in the Buttway under the shade about 150   labourers sat down to dinner, and their full and hearty   enjoyment was the best compliment they could pay to the   liberal promoters of the feast.....

The Rev. A. Willis, of New Brompton, then proposed   “Success to the Cliffe Harvest Home”, reminding the company   that Cliffe was the first parish in the neighbourhood to   have such annual gatherings and its annual recurrence in   Cliffe was always looked for and hailed with great interest,   he hoped the good understanding between master and man, of   which it was the token, would continue for many years. The   company then advanced to the cricket field, lent by Mr. G.   Wood, and the remainder of the day was spent in various   games and amusements.

When the shades of evening fell, the band moved off the   ground and led the company back to the village green.


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