Court Leet News
Alcester Pancake Races
Tuesday 21st February 2012
The annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Races will be held in Alcester High Street and will start, this year, at 12:25 with a "Special Entertainments Race". Following this the Races will include:
- Parent and Toddler
- Junior school
- Men's under 18
- Ladies under 18
- Men's Open over 18
- Ladies Open over 18
- Pub / Works relay
Prizes will include eggs, lollies, cash and certificates.
What is Pancake Day?
Pancake Day ( also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the last day before the period which Christians call Lent. It is traditional on this day to eat pancakes.
Why are Pancakes Eaten on Shrove Tuesday?
Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up. So Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself, and to use up the foods that aren't allowed in Lent. Pancakes are eaten on this day because they contain fat, butter and eggs which were forbidden during Lent.
- View and print your own Pancake Race Poster click here
- View photos of previous year's Pancake Races 2011 :: 2010
6th December 2011
St Nicholas Night
The annual St Nicholas Night took place in Alcester High Street and local venues.
See the video (Court Leet are at 2 minutes 43 seconds in)
View here...
6th October 2011
The Court Leet Elections
The Court Leet Elections took place on 6th October 2011 at Alcester Town Hall and started at 7.30pm.
The new High & Low Bailiffs were elected and also the Officers of the Court. They will serve until the following October. The new High Bailiff is Steve Payne and the new Low Bailiff is John Mills.
Once all the ‘villeins’ of the Manor of Alcester were commanded to attend (see the History page of this website). Now it is open to anyone to come and see the ancient ceremony of the Elections that have been taking place in Alcester for over 700 years.
To be eligible to serve on the Court you must live in the Manor of Alcester or its environs, and be male.
Eleven men signed the ‘View of Frankpledge’ and became jurymen. This doesn’t mean that they will automatically become an Officer of the Court, but offers the opportunity to be informed of the goings-on of the Court and to become more involved should they wish.
12th June 2011
Alcester Street Market
Read the article that appeared in the Redditich Advertiser website here
23rd April 2011
Town Criers Competition
The streets of Alcester came alive with the some of the loudest voices in England, as the Heart of England Town Criers competition came to town.
More than 20 members of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers gathered in the town centre to compete for the title of Heart of England Champion 2011.
Since the competition this year fell on St George's Day, the town criers rang their bells and issued a cry on the subject of England's patron saint.
Event organiser and Alcester town crier, David Parkes, said: “I feel very proud to be Alcester’s town crier and play my part in keeping this ancient English custom alive. It is a particular privilege to host the competition on St George’s Day and I was proud to welcome visitors to this lively spectacle.”
Alcester has hosted the competition now for 40 years, so the procession down the high street at 1pm came as no surprise and is still worth watching.
Judges for the competition were on the look out for volume and clarity when they marked the criers, and this year, there was an added event known as a 'bells up' in celebration of the royal wedding, before the competition officially began.
Thanks to Waitrose for their support this year.
7th October 2010
New High Bailiff Elected
Nick Dearling was elected as High Bailif at the Court Leet elections on the night of Thursday 7th October.
Elections are held every year to elect the officers of the Court Leet. Only those who have paid their "Frank Pledge" [see this page] are elegible for election. They must also reside within the Manor of Alcester. Steve Payne was elected as Low Bailiff. All Officers are listed here...
30th September 2010
High Bailiff Donates to Local Organisations
The High Bailiff, Mike Clark, has made donations to the following local organisations:
- Alcester Scouts and Guides
- Church House Restoration
- Alcester Young Firefighters
- Alcester in Bloom
- Alcester Derby and Joan Club
- River Arrow Nature Reserve
- Alcester PCC to help provide the Friday night hot chocolate to the youth of Alcester (Part of this donation is from the previous year courtesy of Andy Mills - High Bailiff 2008-09)
- Alcester War Memorial Town Hall Restoration