Sawdust pasties, and the legend of a cow!

From the Bolton Evening News, first published Saturday 21st Aug 1999.

It's getten' its yed fast in t'gate THOSE immortal words have followed Howfen folk for almost a century and nobody from the area seems to be too bothered that the story that goes with it tries to poke fun at them.

The legend tells the tale of a farmer, who -after driving his cows into the yard - found that one was missing. Hurriedly he chased back to the field to find the cow with its head stuck fast in a gate.

But instead of cutting the gate to release the cow, the farmer cut off the cow's head so he didn't damage his gate.

Despite ridicule from neighbouring towns, Howfen locals had the last laugh.

They instigated an annual fair with roundabouts and sideshows to be held on the nearest weekend to August 24, which is St Bartholomew's Day.

Sadly over the years the Wakes tradition became a footnote in the history books. But if one Westhoughton long-time resident has his way, the Wakes will be resurrected.

Ernie Ford from Esther Fold, who is rather coy about his age - describing himself only as a "senior, who went the course, and eventually got there" - would love to see the old Wakes festivities make a return. Recalling the excitement it used to engender among townsfolk, Ernie told the BEN: "It was the event of the year around this part of Lancashire, bringing visitors from far and wide. They came not just to sample the fair and see the effigy of a cow with its head stuck in a gate, which was on display in nearly all the pubs, but to taste the delicious pasties which became the highlight of this event."

During the Wakes week, "Tha' cant have a Wakes beawt a pastie" - became the cry. And confectioners in the town were as busy taking orders as they were at baking them.

Ernie says optimistically: "In the olden days, these were made in the shape of a cow's head, so, perhaps, bakers of today might take note for next year's event!"

He went on: "Decades ago the landlady of the Dog and Pheasant Hotel made a practice of displaying her effigy of the Keaw's Yed stuck fast in a gate with a circle of home-made pasties.

"The pasties became more interesting than the effigy and it eventually disappeared.

"Learning from her mistake, the following year's pasties contained sawdust! HE added: "One interesting thing about the shop-bought pasties was that some of them had little pot dolls hidden in the filling in the same way that birthday cakes held silver threepenny pieces in them as a token of luck."

But, sadly the custom of celebrating Wakes Weekend has diminished over the years and is, in Ernie's opinion, in desperate need of revival. Preferably starting in the Millennium.

He said: "Although new ventures are raised with some success in the town, it seems to me a pity that such an old tradition should be swept under the carpet. As the Scotsmen cling to the Loch Ness Monster, Howfeners do the same with the Howfen Legend, and the local popular group, The Houghton Weavers, entitled their very first record 'Howfen Wakes'.

"Not even the war stopped us celebrating Wakes weekend."

<BULLET />Westhoughton Library holds a folder called 'Howfen Memories' by Ernest Ford which includes a cartoon drawing and photographs of the old Wakes celebrations. Wingates Band entitled their CD album, 'Howfen Legends', and this gets a mention in their Millennium brochure.

http://archive.burytimes.co.uk/1999/8/21/760537.html