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On Saturday 15th May of this year hundreds of people descended
on the sleepy Oxfordshire town of Burford. Some came in Seventeenth
century costume, some riding bizarre creations in sea-green
papermache, some were old communists, most at least old Labour,
Anarchists or Greens. Children from the Woodcraft folk mingled
with Jugglers, Musicians, Politicians and the odd Vicar. They
had all gathered to celebrate Levellers Day.
This was the 350th Anniversary of the execution of the three
Leveller soldiers who were shot as an example to the 340 who
had rebelled and taken part in the famous mutiny during the
Civil War. Oliver Cromwell had them all imprisoned in Burford
Church overnight and carried out his brutal sentence the following
morning. Cornet Thompson, Corporal Church and Private Perkins
were martyrs who died wanting a new democracy, a truly representative
and accountable Parliament and even more fundamental perhaps
was their demand for the payment of arrears in wages. They
refused to continue on their way to fight in Ireland.
The three executed Levellers are buried, unmarked, at Burford
Church and it is in the adjoining church garden that we all
came to hear the speakers of the day. These were: Eithne MacNulty
who is a member of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition,
Maike Mansfield QC and Tony Benn MP. After some gloriously
impassioned, intelligent and witty speeches it was soon time
for me to dig out the old Freeborn John song and sing to the
throng. I was joined by Justin Sullivan from New Model Army
and Bradford and Messieurs. Chadwick and Friend combined with
myself and the guitarist Martin Pannett to produce a wonderfully
shambolic version of Burford Stomp.
As the sun slid behind the church for a well earned rest
we handed over the torch to Velvet Fist the Women's acappella
group from North London. They are a very musical and powerful
set of singers and were appearing for their second consecutive
year. We loved them.
This crowded walled garden is as pleasant a place to spend
a Saturday afternoon in England as has been created. This
was also the 25th anniversary of the Levellers Day celebrations
themselves and if anyone should find themselves wondering
why hundreds come to remember a part of English history not
even taught in schools, it is perhaps that the Levellers ideas
are still relevant today. Much is clearly unresolved in Northern
Ireland, whilst across Britain the Home Secretary is out to
remove the right of an accused person to be tried by a jury
of their peers and as Tony Benn pointed out, the Prime Minister
wages war in Kosovo and Serbia by Royal Prerogative he need
not consult a Parliament at all.
Politics aside, whatever people's reasons for attending Levellers
Day (and each year the attendance is increasing) the feeling
is not one of indignant outrage but of being amongst friends,
some of whom died 350 years ago.
If you are interested in helping to organise future Levellers
Day at Burford you can e-mail: levellers@Btinternet.com
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