FOR the first time for maybe ever, Lapford has the equivalent of a village green and on Friday, September 3, it was made good use of for the Revel.

This would have been held on its traditional date in July, but Covid regulations stopped that and it was moved to the first weekend in September.

It was certainly a lovely evening, sunshine flooded Lower Town Place, the big green space created in the centre of the village, beside the Victory Hall, where there used to be farm buildings.

Called the Restart Revel, there was the opening ceremony for Lower Town Place, the crowning of this year and last year’s King and Queen, a Revel tradition, plus a barbecue, bar, Winkleigh Morris dancers and a ceilidh with the Barnstormers and some presentations.

It was good to see so many people, families with children, some folk with dogs, easy access for wheelchairs, all coming together to celebrate simply being able to be together once again.

The crowning took place as usual on the Church Green but this area of grass is not big enough to accommodate all that was happening on the Friday evening.

In the past Morris dancers have had to dance on the road through the village outside Church Green, hazardous on occasions.

On Saturday there was the dog show, games in the Playing Field, skittles, a bar, an evening disco and entertainment.

Sunday saw Churches Together for the full Revel service at the Parish Church.

But Friday evening was the main event. Last year’s Queen Ava Curtis and the King Jacob Bundy were crowned by Megan Heale-Smith and Ferdy Dickinson.

This year’s “royal” couple, Queen Iris Illusion Hayes and the King Ruben Hart were crowned by Jasmine Osborne and George Hustwayte.

Iris and Ruben took part in a little explanation about the history of the green with Peter Norman, chairman of HOLD (Heart Of Lapford Development). They said that the piece of land had been a feature of village life for centuries, in later times it was where Bill Manning had tended his cows and where there had stood a large, round horse gin used by Albert Arscott to crush apples to make cider.

Where for at least 500 years a large, thatched house had stood whose lands stretched to Popes Wood and the River Yeo. But the house had burned to the ground.

They said how the land was now returned to open space for activities for the pleasure and enjoyment of all.

With that the field was declared open, Peter Norman whisking the Devon flag from the two large carvings created by Derek Pleate.

He had used oak from Kennerleigh, cut by Jim Pettyfer, carving features from around the village. Derek has worked with wood all his life.

A painting of Lower Town Place by artist Jill Doe, who lives in Lapford, was presented to David Bragg, founding chairman of HOLD.

An engraved glass vase was presented to Sue Briant-Evans in recognition of her work with Lapford Revel.

She was a member of the committee from 1996 to 2019, being treasurer for most of that time. Noel Parry was chairman then. Sue said he had re-started the Revel in 1977.

Some of the benches in the field had been donated by local people and made by Alex Gater at the Old Mill.

Various village organisations had a stall in the field including the Gardening Club that meets on the second Tuesday of each month.

A new set of notelets and new Christmas cards with a view of the church in the snow were being sold for the parish church, information about the village Over 60s Club, and the Friends of Lapford School had a stall selling books.

Next event for the church is the Harvest Supper at the Victory Hall on Saturday, October 2 and the Harvest Festival service in the church on Sunday, October 3.