Brightlingsea had an amazing Blessing of the Waters on Sunday June 15, a tradition which goes back hundreds of years. Our Cinque Port town’s unique history was on display in this remarkable and enjoyable custom.
The weather was on our side, the sun showed off the mayoral robes of the procession on land and the colourful flags and bunting on the large flotilla of boats as they made their way along Brightlingsea Creek.
In the morning the dignitaries began arriving at the C17 Brewers Arms, and were escorted by the Cinque Port Deputy’s red robed assistants and black robed officers, to be greeted by the Cinque Port Deputy and Lady Deputy Iain &and Oonagh Werngren MBE, and Town Mayor Cllr Chis Paveley. The Procession, over 80 strong, assembled outside St James when the Town Crier rang his bell and declaring Brightlingsea’s Blessing of the Waters to be “an ancient tradition of Beating the Bounds on land & water”.
The Curate and the Colchester Waits set off along the High Street then down Tower Street towards the Hard. Waits traditionally led civic processions, and were in multicoloured Medieval dress. The dignitaries included the Bishop of Colchester, Lord Lieutenant of Essex, the High Sheriff of Essex, Vice Chair of ECC, Cinque Port Mayors of Sandwich, Hythe, Margate, Faversham & Deputy Mayor of Fordwich, The coastal Essex mayoral group included Deputy Mayor of Colchester, Mayors of Harwich, Maldon, Wivenhoe and West Mersea, plus other councillors.
The Procession by the Cinque Port Wreck-house it was met by the Chair of Harbour Commissioners and Brightlingsea’s Droit-gatherer who escorted it onto the Hard. Awaiting them were the Motley Crew who had been singing shanties for the gathered crowd.
Brightlingsea’s Vicar Rev Caroline Beckett led the service. The Bishop Blessed water in a brass bowl, he then used a bunch of rosemary and bay to sprinkle the water to bless the boats on the Hard– and some of the people!
The dignitaries went aboard the boats on the jetties. This year the boats were smacks Pioneer CK18, Maria CK21, ADC CK431, and bawley Blackbird, plus working boats Barge Sietske, Plausible, Trinity, Pep, harbour ferry, launch Trilogy, yacht Capella and two RHIBs. The flotilla was accompanied by numerous other craft, including Triton, gigs, yachts, cruisers and dinghies. Everyone at the Hard and on the boats was encouraged to join in making the “Din” to “Beat the Bounds” as the boats set off along Brightlingsea Creek.
Pioneer with the Bishop on board hove to off Bateman’s Tower. The flotilla gathered around and the Bishop laid the Willow Cross, then the Deputy made his “Challenge” which was followed by the toast of “Gang-ho”.
The chairman of the event’s organising committee for the Cinque Port Liberty, Roger Tabor, noted that although in 1542 the then Cinque Port Deputy left provision in his will for the “drynkyng” at Brightlingsea’s Beating of the Bounds, today the current Deputy kindly provides it for the toast on the guests’ boats.
The Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Jennifer Tolhurst, summed it up: “The Blessing of the Waters was a great event. Everything went well and the weather was perfect”
