‘We’re basically just trying to get everybody together and it’s been fun. It’s very British and totally pointless but we all enjoy it.’
Twenty-twenty three will go down in history of course as the date for the Coronation of King Charles III; thus it seems important to discuss a custom and tradition associated with the event. But not the actual event; watched by millions; which although high in pomp, was not the most exciting event and anyway I did not get an invite! No more exciting was a traditional event undertaken largely under the noses of Royal commentators and indeed any Press, but far more exciting. This is the Turning of the Great Brockham Stone.
What is fascinating in my survey of our colourful customs and traditions that despite all the books and thousands of words upon the internet; one can still find a custom unbeknownst to me. This was it. Indeed, it was a bit last minute. I had eschewed the obvious waiting on the Mall for the procession on the Saturday for a more sedate and curious attendance to a remote village in Norfolk.
Why they should turn this stone is unclear. There is as far as I am aware only one other stone turning event in the customs calendar. That of Shebbear done on November the 5th to improbably perhaps awaken the Devil who lies beneath. Two events is a rather small ‘club’ and in this case there is no reason to turn it but to add something to the time capsule underneath. Furthermore, the stone itself despite appearing to all intents to be some prehistoric sentinel watching over the village from its heart- only arrived in 1880! Tradition locally being that it was in a farmer’s way and so was dragged by horses to the village green. For what reason we do not know. The stone is certainly an erratic, largely out of place on the sandy Breckland soils, but to me dragging a two tonne rock to the village seems pretty erratic too.
At some point a local person suggested that they should try and turn it. The first time appears to be soon after it arrived to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond jubilee, soon followed by her 1897 Golden jubilee, Edward Vis coronation, George IV’s coronation and Jubilee and George VI’s coronations followed. Overall there have been twelve turnings. Oddly enough Elizabeth’s coronation had been missed due it is thought to very wet weather, but fame came to the village when in 1977 it was flipped for the Silver Jubilee and filmed by ITV apparently.
No stone left unturned!
In the last thirty years they appear to have taken ample opportunity to turn it: 1995, the 50th anniversary of VE day, the millennium and then back to the Queen for 2002 Golden Jubilee, 2008 for the celebration of the saving of Hockham Woods from quarrying and then 2012 for the Diamond Jubilee. I am sure that in 2022 for the Queen’s Platinum they were thought they might be in for a bit more than a year’s rest – after all the Queen’s mum did live to over 100…but no May 2023 was Charles III’s coronation and so a stone turning would be undertaken. I could imagine having done four turns in twenty years or so there would be some keen and strong experts in the village!
The Eastern Daily Press reported in 2022 in an article by a certain Sarah Hussain called Village revives bizarre Victorian ritual to mark Jubilee:
“It took place last Thursday – the first day of the Jubilee bank holiday – and saw around 250 watch, as the eight local men struggled with the task. The group used chocks of wood, large levers and “lot of pondering and brute force” to flip the stone over. Chris Garrod, clerk at Great Hockham Parish Council, said the tradition is something members are “incredibly proud of…The villagers turned out in force to watch the spectacle. It’s known as a glacial erratic, is full of fossils and one of several found across the country, deposited in a previous ice age. Its turning is likely a nationally unique event.”
Perhaps not totally unique, as stated above, but certainly in Royal customs, it is and it is surprising that they are not more curious royal customs like this.
I arrived just as a small group of turners were getting organised, wearing their yellow shirts with their lifting rods eyeing up what to do and looking forward to breaking last year’s record. It’s a slow process, I was warned by the organiser that last time it took 1 and a half hours. Indeed, it took a fair while to even see what progress had been made, perhaps the hardest part being getting any movement from perpendicular.
Rolling stone gathers no moss
A curious sort of fascination developed watching the slow and meticulous process of the turners who using block and tackle, a well-placed lifting rod and some considerable force being enacted upon to raise the stone a few centimetres. As it is one of the team, rush in to secure every millimetre of height gained with a block. That in itself, considering the considerable mass teetering on an ever-increasing angle, requiring quick action and considerable nerves. After over an hour the stone was clear of a considerable area of its base such that the time capsule could be lifted, inspected and new materials placed within. Again, nerves of steel were needed to dig the hole again and place it down whilst the turners continued their arduous task. At certain points, the group stopped, huddled in discussion, pointing, and tapping the rock, and moved on. At one point I thought this thirsty work would be unrewarded but sure enough the pub appeared with some beers which gave the turners a very brief respite.
But it was soon back to action. An hour and a half in and it were clear that last year’s record would not be broken. Rods were placed in front of the stone to steady it but it was clear it was not going anywhere yet. A sizeable crowd had developed around the stone including a well-known stand-up comedy legend, who at first I thought ‘Here’s another 80s light entertainment celeb making a programme on British traditions and customs’ I’ll let the reader pass judgement on that. But no, he was a local, who had moved to the village for some well-earned privacy no doubt: I shall not name him consequently. He appeared to be enjoying all the spectacle and perhaps it will make it into one of his summer season routines.
After around one hour and forty minutes the stone was looking quite precarious in its setting and was beginning to wobble a bit it seemed. Every wobble greeted by the crowds excited oohs and ahhs! Then after quite a few false hopes, the stone stubbornly staying situ, the team appeared confidence this would be it, and a warning went out. Then using their rods for the last time and giving an almighty creak the stone fell producing a cloud of dust as result to the sound of cheers and claps. It was just over two hours.
What is great about Great Brockham’s stone turning is that unlike perhaps its only comparable custom, Abingdon’s Bun throwing, it is firmly a local custom, a local celebration and something that certainly brings this small community together in a joyful fun way.
When’s the next one I asked. One of the turners ruefully acknowledged that although 2047 would be the Silver Jubilee, King Charles would be 99 – possibly considering his family’s longevity, but they said they’d but more chances on another coronation before than..and equally the 100th anniversary of the Second World War. Whenever the next turning will be, who knows, but I am sure that this community will leave no stone unturned finding a suitable date!
In search of traditional customs and ceremonies 