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Pirton Pumpkin Club – Maypole Project
(Click on pictures to enlarge)
_small.jpg) Until
about 1921 a maypole used to stand on Pirton’s Great Green, as maypoles did on
the greens of many towns and villages in the country. At present there are no
permanent maypoles standing anywhere in Hertfordshire, to the best of our
knowledge, and Pirton Parish Council would like to rectify this by re-erecting a
maypole on Great Green.
 The
main instigators of the reintroduction of a maypole are the Pirton Pumpkin Club,
a village organisation who raise money and fund many events within Pirton & the
neighbouring village of Holwell such as an annual free pensioner’s party,
clearing of Pirton village pond, kitchen equipment for Pirton Village Hall,
curtains for Holwell Church and more.
The project has been discussed on an informal basis within the
village for several years with everyone agreeing that it would be a worthwhile
venture. The maypole would be similar to the pole presently in place at
Ickwell Green, Bedfordshire (click
Here for details). On a more formal basis a survey was taken as to who
 would
use the maypole with the following organisations expressing an interest and
support:
 | Pirton Village School, who would use the maypole on a
regular basis as
part of their dance curriculum. |
| Baldock Midnight Morris |
| Ramrugge Clog Morris |
| Offley Morris Men |
| Redbornstoke Morris |
| Staplers Country Dance Club
And it would be hoped a Village Maypole Dance Group would evolve
and the Pumpkin Club would hope to stage a May Fair. |
Support has also come from the Motte & Bailey, a public house
on the edge of the green, who would welcome the trade as well as providing car
parking for organisations coming from outside of the village. A comments book
has been left at The Motte & Bailey with coloured photographs showing what the
maypole would look like and asking for peoples opinions.
 The
Pumpkin Club has circulated a letter to all households within the vicinity of
Great Green, namely Great Green, Three Closes, Pollards Way and Crabtree Lane,
outlining the proposal with nobody voicing any objections and the following
giving their support either verbally or in writing:
| Derek Jarrett, 12 Great Green |
| Jennifer Brook, 8 Great Green |
| Steve Smith, 6 Great Green |
| Michael Goddard, 3 Great Green |
| Lois Braybrooke, 7 Bury End |
| Pat Lawrence, Springfields, Bury End |
Yours sincerely
Rodney Marshall
Pirton Pumpkin Club
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Pirton
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