Bodmin Riding & Heritage Day

Where: Bodmin, Cornwall - town centre with Capture at the Jail, Trial at Mount Folly and Wrestling in Priory Park; Riding service procession from St Mary's to St Petrocs church
When: First Weekend in July
Time: Saturday all day from 9am with Trial at 2.45 - see website link for full schedule Sunday church service 10 am

 

Bodmin Riding and Heritage Day is an event with its origins in medieval times involving local trade guilds. It used to commemorate the hanging of the Mayor in the fifteenth century,but while the procession tradition and medieval fair continue, the focus has moved more recently to the less sinister hunting of the Beast of Bodmin play. Expect morris and historic dancing, music and entertainments including Cornish Wrestling; the capture and trial of the fearsome Beast take place on Saturday afternoon.  There are also craft sales, fairground rides, other sports and exhibitions. The Riding service is on Sunday morning and it commemorates St Petroc, whose bones are carried through town to St Petrocs Church and St Thomas’ Chapel. Traditional Riding Ale is available over the weekend.

Helpful Hints

It will hopefully resume in 2024, with a new team to run the event, and the main day should be on Saturday 6th July with further events on Friday 5th July and Sunday 7th July (all to be confirmed). When the full Festival isn’t on the Beast of Bodmin still makes an appearance around town (see link below) with the mock trial on the Saturday.

Click here for the Beast’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GwariBosvena

Click here for the event website: https://bodminrandh.wixsite.com/mysite

Click here for the event facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/BodminRidingHeritage

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