Flaming barrels of Tar!

nutters!

Ive always wanted to go to that, this is sillier than the cheese rolling in Gloucester

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Its wicked... bit crazy.

They do an under 18 one and the adults one. S'wicked!

im confused!! what is this event all about????!! looks hectic!!! u just run about with flamming barrels of tar on ur back?!!!

After eating several handfulls of Magic Mushrooms I believe.

It's a good night out.

Tradition of Ottery St Mary, Devon. Residents of the town carry a flaming barrel of tar through the packed streets. It sounds utter crazyness, IT IS!! BUT it is amazing when you see it.

Wikipedia Quote -

The town typically stages annual events around Guy Fawkes Night when, in a tradition dating from the 17th century, barrels soaked in tar are set alight[4] and carried aloft through parts of the town by residents.[5]

The festivities begin in the early evening with children's, youths' and women's events, culminating in the men's event when a total of seventeen barrels are lit outside each of the four public houses in the town. (Originally there were 12 public houses in the town). The barrels, increasing in size up to 30 kg, are carried through the town centre, often packed with onlookers, in an exhilarating and risky spectacle. Only those born in the town, or who have lived there for most of their lives, may carry a barrel.[6] Generations of the same family have been known to compete across the years and it is thought that the event may have originated as a means of warding off evil spirits, similar to other British fire festivals, around the time of Halloween. In recent years the event has been jeopardised by the need for increasing public liability insurance coverage. Nevertheless the event continues and the town's population of 7,000 increases at the event to well over 10,000. During the event all roads in and out of Ottery St Mary are closed for safety reasons with diversions in place.[7]

It has been suggested that the tradition may have started when the Black Death entered the town. In those days cannons (ten pipe strikers using gunpowder) were said to have been employed to scare the rats carrying the plague out of the houses and into the street. Burning barrels were then rolled through the street to kill the rats before being picked up and moved to the next street. The dead rats were gathered and thrown on a big bonfire at the end of the town.

On 30 October 2008 the annual event was threatened by a serious hailstorm [8] which hit East Devon shortly after midnight. The storm led to serious flooding in the town, caused mainly by storm drains becoming clogged with hailstones. Roads became blocked and the Coastguard service was required to airlift some people to safety. The flooding also caused problems on the Millennium Green, where the annual bonfire and fairground were being constructed in preparation for the November 5th celebrations. One of the owners of the fairground said that the builders working there were "lucky to be alive". The clear-up operation was entirely successful, however, and both the carnival procession and the Tar Barrels and bonfire night celebrations went ahead as planned.[9]

In 2009, the Factory Barrel was sabotaged by a visitor. They threw an aerosol can at the barrel which caused big flames to quickly shoot out of the sides. No one was killed but 12 people were seriously injured. The culprit is yet to be found, but discussions over the safety of the event have begun. It is likely that this incident will not jeopardise the event as it has faced problems in the past and has continued. In a unrelated incident, the roof of the old fire station burnt down on the night of the 2009 tar barrels.

absolute nutters!!!!!!! fuck doing that!! rather them than me!! ahha. was just looking at a vid of one barrel exploding!! not good!!!
thanks for the info though girly = )

My school mate was doing that particular barrel and he was taken to Bristol hospital burns unit with 1st degree burns down his face. There were others who had quite serious injuries too. Why do people have to be so stupid, kids do not have brains i swear.

It's amazing! I love being from the South West, so many quirky traditions.

I did hear about the banger incident, but didn't see it myself. There were a lot of small kids about, 13-14 year olds that were clearly hammered. Despite being there before, I don't think I've ever seen it that busy, we nearly got crushed on the road leading back down to the Fair all cos of stupid kids trying to push to get through. It's ok though, one of them got a greeting from my external flash on the head, that'll teach 'em :)

Hope your mate's OK Neon :( x x x

Indeed Indeed.

My favourite being the Giant of Cerne Abbas - preserved on the side of a hill as a fertility symbol. Now that is nuts!

(If I knew how to import a photo of it into this thread I would - it's some crazy shit man)

The man with the giant erect Willly on the way down to Weymouth!

I remember looking for it every time we drove down that way when i was a kid!

Its a good night out, just down the road from me, but far too busy now days, You can barely move there on the night. It is definately advised not to take young kids.

Do you know though Baz, there was a woman with a baby, yes, that's right, a baby and when she was trying to move though the crowds she was ffing and blinding cos it was too busy!
Like you take a small baby to the night Tar Barrels :/

Oh yeah, hope you had a good night at Hindsight by the way :)

yeah i went last year and the whole crowd pushes to get out of the way of the barrels, one woman behind my mate kept shouting at him to stop pushing, he said he wasnt that it was every one pushing him and then she smacked him in the face. Its a brilliant event, definately should see it, but its pretty full on. i mean you wouldnt take your kids to a rave. I may go next year to the barrels though.

Oh and Hindsight was amazing! Definately the best event in Torquay this year.

And I missed it :( Boo!

I never went til i was about 16 ... I didnt like the thought of it til then. And then a year later i moved to Croydon so i never really got to see it. I plan to make the carnival weekend a time i need to take off so i can come and do some snapping too.

Would be ace., I love the honiton and ottery carnivals, i dont understand why other places dont do it.,

And it is a giant willy, it's about the size of a house! It freaks you out the first time you see it, it's nothing short of pornographic - a must see if you are in the South West.