Almost 375 years since the notorious ‘Bolton Massacre’, Roundheads and Cavaliers will again descend on Bolton on 7-8 July for an exciting FREE event featuring thrilling battles and fascinating ‘living history’. Click here for more details…
Step into our encampment in the grounds of Bolton School on 7-8 July and you’ll step back in time to 1644 – but who will you meet?
Medley the Gong Farmer is a man with an unenviable but very important job – though you’ll probably smell him before you see him! We asked him to explain what he does…
“The most important job in the city, and a rather lucrative one!” he says!
“Medley Gong Farming has been in business for years. When your cesspit, privy, dovecot, or jack is full – leave word for me at the Sign of the Bucket, ‘pon Deansgate. I come round by night with my spade and bucket, and clear all the bad ‘air’ from your premises.
“A city lives by its cleanliness and ability to grow food, so the gong farmer takes all waste outside the city walls to sell it to farmers or to the gunpowder mills – quite literally, another man’s waste is another man’s treasure! I don’t care that no-one will stand near me at church come Sunday – it’s a good living … so long as you don’t slip and end up drowning…
“When it is to be used as manure for the fields then the process is straightforward but, in the 17th Century, for muck to truly become brass you must make it into Saltpetre!
“Saltpetre makes up three quarters of the recipe for good gunpowder and so is in short supply during this Civil War. My Saltpetre will go towards making gunpowder for the troops garrisoning Bolton against the Royalists – without it, Prince Rupert’s men will walk all over us!
“Why not come and ask me all about it? I’ll be applying my trade in Bolton on the 7th & 8th of July. No need to hold your nose…”
So come along to The Storming of Bolton at Bolton School, Chorley New Rd, Bolton BL1 4PA on 7-8 July, from 10am to 4pm with battle in the afternoon!