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200 villagers come together to light Aynho’s beacon
03/06/2022
The beacon lighting came at the end of a busy first day of the jubilee bank holiday
Around 200 people gathered in Aynho to watch a beacon being lit in celebration of The Queen’s 70-year reign. It’s the first time the village has joined in with a beacon lighting event.
Aynho’s beacon was lit in a field off the Charlton Road, on the edge of the hill giving a good vantage point from Northamptonshire into Oxfordshire and beyond. Other beacons in Edge Hill and further North were clearly visible.
The beacon lighting came at the end of a busy day of events which included a community evening at the Cartwright Hotel, a Jubilee concert in St Michael’s Church and the film of Her Majesty’s Coronation being shown in the Village Hall.
Villagers from all three events then came together to process to the beacon lighting ceremony.
Villager Nick Attenborough said the village was in a very patriotic mood: “There’s a huge amount of bunting in the village – lots of Union Jacks.
“The village has really rallied together. I was talking to one of the older villagers – in her 80s. She doesn’t ever remember so much happening before, or us ever having a beacon lighting.
“So, this is the first time we are part of the official beacon lighting around the country.”
Earlier in the day children’s crown making workshops had been held, the results of which will be paraded through the village today (Friday).
pictures: Nick Attenborough
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam