At our most recent meeting we heard how the festival of Battle Bonfire (celebrated since 1646 and the oldest commemoration of the gunpowder plot in 1605) and la fête Guillaume in St Valéry-sur-Somme share an interesting historical link.
It was from this small French town in northern France that Guillaume (William) set sail for England with the aim of contesting the crown of England with Harold in September 1066.
Records show that William's army defeated Harold at Senlac Hill in October 1066 and, in order to commemorate the 900th anniversary of this event in 1966, St Valéry approached Battle to create a link between the two towns. A monument was unveiled in St Valéry to recall William's departure for England, with twinning documents being signed between Battle and St Valéry in July 1973.
In subsequent years there have been regular resident and student exchanges and visits to commemorate William's historic departure and our own gunpowder plot - Battle having been given permission to build a gunpowder mill in 1676 on land owned by Battle Abbey. Both festivals include the wearing of historical costumes, as can be seen in the photos.
Our next meeting on Tuesday 11 February will inevitably include a Valentine's Day (with a twist)
, when we shall be looking at how the day is celebrated in France and elsewhere, presenting a short play as well as a quiz.
Our club meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 2.30pm at Holy Redeemer Church Hall, Upper Church Road, St Leonards. We welcome all Francophiles, and French speaking nationals. There is wheelchair access to the hall and free parking nearby.
More information about our club can be found on our website www.hastings anglofrenchclub.com and on our Facebook page, Hastings Anglo French Club.