Tar barrels in Ottery St Mary

Ottery Saint Mary is typical devonian village just a half an hour drive away from Exeter , however, it does have one tradition unlike anywhere else in the world. Every 5th of November thousands of visitors descend upon this unassuming village to witness its unique tradition : The flaming tar barrels.

This year my housemates and I decided to go and see what the fuss was all about and so, after an uneventful drive down a variety of  narrow country lanes and a trek across a very muddy carpark (or field), we were raring to go! The village was packed full of hundreds of expectant visitors wrapped up warm against the biting cold, and the main attraction was already in full swing.

Over the course of the evening, seventeen flaming tar barrels are carried through the streets by teams of locals. Traditionally each one is sponsored by a different pub, where it is set alight, before following a specific route through the town. This may not seem very shocking, but when you consider the sheer weight of a barrel filled with tar, and then set it on fire, the stakes are raised considerably. Added to this are the crowds that must be tackled en route, and the task becomes near impossible.

Despite the rain, the events proceeded (almost) on time and the evening was a definite surprise! After watching one barrel fight its way through the crowds from afar, we negociated our way through the hoards of people to the massive bonfire and fairground. However, we soon got caught up in another barrel run, and ended up far closer to the action than we had forseen. Holding on to each other tightly we found ourselves pushed up against a wall, hoping that the barrel wouldn't come our way! We were truly "stuck between a rock and a hard place"! Thankfully we escaped unscathed, and finally pushed our way towards a well deserved cider and hotdog.

Heading home...

It is easy to think that you have to go abroad to find exciting and different traditions but Ottery St Mary's Tar Barrels shows that England is home to plenty of its own!