By: Blonde One
I’m after a bit of help with this blog post …
Apparently approximately 100 years ago a group was formed in Tavistock called the Gilders and Colts. This group of men would meet every Sunday to have a walk on Dartmoor, returning to the pub by 12 noon. This group had a motto ‘we are seven’, a coat of arms, an HQ and a cabinet of men who held positions of responsibility. Ceremonies were observered, fees and fines were paid, and community actions, both financial and otherwise, were performed.
What I’m wondering is: is this group still in existence? Internet searches have proved fruitless and I have not managed to find one scrap of evidence to suggest they ever existed. Yet the source of this information is as reliable as I can imagine. You might remember I recommended a book that was bought for me for Christmas: My Dartmoor by Clive Gunnell. Well, Clive Gunnell was very proud to have been invited to join the Gilders and Colts of Tavistock and describes their routines in enough detail for me to trust what he is saying.
He describes one section of a walk like this:
“an altercation breaks out between the Navigation Officer and the Wine Steward concerning the route and speed of progress, which point is settled by the Wine Steward removing his Stetson and beating the Navigation Officer around the ears with it”
A section of the end of walk tradition is described:
“at 13.00 the pasties, all home baked and carried out to the Inn are handed around – to be caught eating before this time would incur another fine. A great deal of the financial success of the Gilders can be attributed to these fines for in a spirit of low cunning the reasons for being fined are never explained until after payment. Undemocratic I agree, but the Treasurer thinks it a splendid system.”
I would love to know if this merry group of altruistic men still exist … can you help?
The highly entertaining Clive Gunnell, who folk of a certain age may remember as a presenter on Westward TV, died in 2006 aged 80 years. Quite an entertaining character. As well as his walks featured on WTV he once appeared in a pub in Bude and so far as I recall drank bottled Bass. Asked if he liked a drop of whatever it was, he showed his mirthful awareness of local legend by replying “You don’t think I’d drink the draft from the canal they serve in here do you?”. Even the landlord chuckled. Gone but not forgotten. Sorry I can’t help with other detail but a laugh is still a laugh, eh? Good luck with your quest.
That’s a great story Rich. Thank you for sharing it. He does seem to have been a great character.
As the wife of a late colt, I can offer you more info if you wish. Depends how much you want to know!
Marilyn that’s fantastic! I would love to know more. Does the group still exist?
this book is one of the best books you will ever read about dartmoor, clive had such a passion for the moor and it’s people. i have often laughed when reading the chapter about this band of merry men!! i wonder if they still exist? i have been meaning to find out more for years, but never done it, if you have any info you can share, that would be amazing! thankyou. from a true dartmoor addict!