Giant Feedback

Thank you so much to everyone who came to watch and take part in The Berkshire Giant. We would be grateful if you could spend a few moments telling us about your experience here:


https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/theberkshiregiant

John's Final Footsteps - In Pictures

Some amazing photos of John's Final Footsteps in Newbury on Saturday night by Farrows Creative. Click here to see more photos.

Giant Walks the Streets of Newbury

Some amateur footage from last night when a 20ft Giant - John Ever Afraid - walked the streets of Newbury! Incredible!

Don't Miss The Rest of the Tale

Tonight, in Newbury town centre!

Can John Ever Afraid face his feares?

John's Final Footsteps

Tonight!
9.45pm - Northbrook St, Newbury

Wild music and parade as a devilish carnival tells the final chapter of our tale. Will John Ever Afraid find the courage to face his feares?

Surrender to a seductive night time carnival of fire, devilry and old time rock 'n' roll!
Wonder at the fate of a Giant who made a big mistake
Shake to the voodoo electricity of illicit Rock and Roll
Thrill to the final reckoning of John Ever Afraid

Will John finally face his fears and find redemption?

After ten miles and seven days in the wilderness come and witness the final chapter in our outdoor tale.

Giant Loose in Newbury!

This afternon in Newbury, Maya and Scarlett's daily dare blog was interupted by The Berkshire Giant!

Video made by Young Corn Exchange with help from Real Time.

Berkshire Giant Poetry Competition - 1st Place

As part of the Berkshire Giant project, Steve Larkin worked with local poets to develop their writing skills. This is the winning poem of the resulting competition:

Ever Afraid

by Peter Eggins

Ever afraid of his god,
Though opposed to divine right,
Obsessed with doctrine,
In the blindness of passion
Against his rural wishes
He grew from humble squire
To become a reluctant giant
Tyrant, hammer of the people
The anvil of a parliament.

Ever afraid of his power
Ever afraid to relinquish it
Walled up between giant
And god fearing squire
By the pact of regicide he made
With a parliament
Whose moods he feared
Almost like the devil himself.

Peter is a member of the Newbury Poetry workshop that meet every Monday at the Quaker Meeting House in Newbury. He took part in the workshops with Steve Larkin and this poem was written as the result of his work in those sessions. It is a deep dark abstract look at the ideas of a giant walled up, a pact and the devil himself.

Photos of The Summoning

A wonderful selection of photographs from last night's magical Summoning on Snelsmore Common. Check out more photographs by clicking here.

Photos by Farrows Creative.

Giant Intimidates Fisherman

In a lake in Newbury today, a local fishing enthusiast had an unnerving encounter with what could have been The Berkshire Giant!

Video made by Young Corn Exchange with help from Real Time.

Locals Flee from The Giant

Some CCTV footage taken today of people in Newbury running from something huge and obviously terrifying!

Video made by Young Corn Exchange with help from Real Time.

Invocations and Rituals on Snelsmore Common

- Tonight -

The Summoning on Snelsmore Common

9.30pm-10.30pm

Free

Come gather under the stars this Solstice Eve with those who wish to protect the giant. Ancient drums and magic incantations are performed to invoke the animal spirits of the land & summon help for John Ever Afraid.

-----

Evening includes 10minute walk over rough, boggy terrain (wear suitable footwear and bring torches), difficult for those with limited mobility and unfortunately no wheelchair access.

How to get to Snelsmore Common:

View Larger Map

Behind The Scenes

Puppeteers design some spectacular creations for The Berkshire Giant:

The Berkshire Giant is at Large in Newbury

The picturesque village of Aldworth was buzzing with Giant related activity during the launch of “The Berkshire Giant” on Sunday.

During the Aldworth Giant fair, local residents and families came out to enjoy a wonderful afternoon of live theatre, giant games, folk music and food. One of the highlights of the fair was the magical procession that paraded from the village green through the windy streets down to the churchyard where a troupe of players told the story of the Aldworth Giants – 600 year old stone effigies that lie in the village Church of Aldworth.

During the fair, an announcement was made that John Ever Afraid, the gentle giant that had been hiding from the Devil in the walls of Aldworth Church has actually escaped and is now on the loose.

The story continues tomorrow night on Solstice Eve (Wednesday 20 June on Snelsmore Common at 9.45pm) where a mysterious gathering will be taking place. It is hoped that this magical performance using ancient drums, voices and magic incantations will encourage the ancient beasts who wish to protect the giant John Ever Afraid to come out of their hiding places and come to his aid.

What Fun at Aldworth Giant Fair

A lovely message received from Pauline, a resident of Aldworth:

"THANK YOU to all involved in making 17th June 2012 a very special day in our tiny village of Aldworth. Congratulations on producing a day of magic and wonder - even the SUN shone!


Everyone's work produced a spectacle of drama, music, stories and pageantry the likes of which we may never see again. What fun it was. Even the GIANTS in St Mary's seemed to smile!


All best wishes,
Pauline"

Berkshire Giant Spotted in a Newbury Park

Earlier today in a park in Newbury, a group of teenagers had their day interupted by what could have been The Berkshire Giant:

Video made by Young Corn Exchange with help from Real Time.

‘Elks’ Predict Magic in the Woods

If you’ve been out walking your dog recently, you may have noticed a mysterious group starting to assemble on Snelsmore Common.

This curious bunch of ragtag campers who all wear antlers on their heads and call themselves the Elks are united in helping John Ever Afraid, a Giant from the olden times who is walking at large over the Berkshire countryside during the summer solstice.

Chief Elk Martin Green (a trainee solicitor from Bedford), has been holding vigil for over three days now, constantly scouring the landscape through binoculars whilst sitting on a stool outside his Lichford Apache three-man tent. He breaks off his search to explain all over a mug of dandelion tea.

“If John appears, we are here to help him. The World will be very different from the one hid away 600 years ago. We have cars now, where he would have had…. a horse and cart? Were wheels invented then? He will be confused, perhaps even scared, so we’ll be here to offer a helping hand. We will perform ancient rituals and invocations to raise the spirits beasts from the forest so that they may guide him to safety.

Giants were always friendly with animals and this Giant in particular will need their support to overcome his fears. Spirit beasts in particular are a powerful force or goo and will keep him safe from those who wish to harm him. Where can John find safety I ask?”

Find out what happening at The Summoning tomorrow evening on Ancient Snelsmore Common.

Strange Noises in The Woods

With more and more reports of a Giant loose in the West Berkshire countryside, locals Dan and Tom report on some strange carvings they've found and noises they hear in the woods.

Video made by Young Corn Exchange with help from Real Time.

Pictures from Aldworth Giant Fair

A wonderful selection of photos from Aldworth Giant Fair yesterday by Farrows Creative.

Click here to see more images.

Berkshire Giant Poetry Competition - 2nd Place

Fairy Steps and Giant Strides

by Louise Ordish

It starts – as it always does - with fairy steps
silver dust, kicked up in sparkles,
as they pass in a corridor,
“you-again”, raised eyebrows,
coffee at the same time,
more or less, give or take a heartbeat.

Magical fairy steps
tiptoe-trip towards some future,
as they lunch, make unremarkable exchanges
her face tight with alertness,
slight uncertainty

With the team day out,
come quickening fairy steps to the dinner
and imperative seats them
face to face, with wine and nerves on fire,
tension rising, like scalding steam

Group-loud jokes fill the bar, connections
snip-snap into place across the team until
much later, quieter, two of them sit,
still, and patches of silvery glitter
settle round their dress-down shoes
in glowing moonlight pools

And he pauses, leans in,
takes a breath that holds her scent
and knows that, in a moment, he will take
a giant stride, towards or away.

Louise will also be working with us at the Corn Exchange in the autumn to deliver some poetry workshops to build upon the enthusiasm generated by this aspect of the Berkshire Giant project.

Giant Escapes from Aldworth Church

During yesterday's Giant Fair, a huge roar as loud as a clap of thunder was heard as The Berkshire Giant, a spectacular monster of a man, broke free from the walls of Aldworth Church where he has been hiding from the devil for 600 years, fulfilling a prophecy made by the Ancient Order of The Elk. This Giant is now running riot across the West Berkshire countryside wreaking havoc wherever he goes.

Please keep an eye out for the Giant in your neighbourhood and let us know here at Giant Watch of any sightings!

Giant Spotted in West Berkshire!!!

Following reports of a huge figure breaking out of Aldworth Church this afternoon, we've just recieved this video of local reporters discovering some Giant footprints in the West Berkshire countryside and even a brush with the Giant himself!

Video made by Compton Teenscene Youth Group with help from Real Time.

TODAY - Aldworth Giant Fair

Get yourself down to Aldworth Village today 12pm-4pm for a woderful free family friendly fair of all things Giant!

A day of Giants for young and old. Diverse entertainments to celebrate the legendary giants of Aldworth church. Featuring harmonious and joyful music, tall tales of Giants from across the land and Giant Games for all the family.

Aldworth Giant Fair - tomorrow!

More Strange Things Happening Locally

Another reports of things going missing in West Berkshire - could it be The Berkshire Giant?

Video made by Compton Teenscene Youth Group with help from Real Time.

Locals React to Recent Strange Events

Local villagers in West Berkshire giving their opinions on the area's recent strange goings-on:

Video made by Compton Teenscene Youth Group with help from Real Time.

Berkshire Giant Poetry Competition - 3rd Place

As part of the Berkshire Giant project there have been many opportunities to get involved. Part of the participation programme was a series of free workshops workshops with performance poet Steve Larkin. Steve worked with local poets and people who are interested in poetry to develop their writing skills and style and to explore the themes of the Aldworth Giant Myth and John Ever Afraid himself. The many entries for the competition looked at the ideas from every imaginable angle and the three selected represent three very different perspectives and styles. The winners were selected anonymously by Steve Larkin himself. We are delighted to have been able to support these local writers in their work.

TRUMP!

by Barrie Singleton

Few now pay heed to Earth’s vicissitudes
when Sky God giants wrought internecine strife
and Wotan steered Thor’s freshly anvilled bolts
to harrow that fair face with Grim-gouged dyke.
Thus in my quest for Aldworth’s ingrained lore
- as stubbornly persistent as the Yew -
I have harked back to long-forgot ‘before’
and married it with paradigm - brand new.
The product of this fusion is my rock
where I make broad ecclesiastic claim;
asserting here: “The thunderbolt is Lord”
as witnessed once by man (and due again).
Yes! Something new shall now meet something old
as man’s astute enquiry lifts the veil.
Electric currents course the cosmic vault;
and random touch leaves excavation trail.
But time dilutes, and dilettante man
falls back from shock and awe: no lesson learned
as giants and all their works, dim memories,
transmute to feet of clay with each sod turned.

Who knows what drew the bloodline - “de la Beche”
to set their seat in Aldworth’s fertile folds?
What facile quirk of fate, stature decreed
that they became ‘the giants’ her church now holds?
And as ‘twer not enough, conflating so
it seems some feral minstrel malcontent
invented four more Giants to spice the mix
then left the scene – with neither spoor nor scent.
This wannabe Pied Piper nincompoop
John Long, John Strong, John Never Afraid, he coined.
Sang these three in, and out, of his charade
but left John Ever Afraid – and a good wall ruined.
By now, perhaps, this impish ne’er-do-well
is full-reformed of his mendacity;
be sure - he knew: pre-reformation wont
to inter dignitaries in masonry.
The arch–fool bent giant-folly to his will
bequeathing us a wall-arch questionnaire
invoking human weakness – de rigueur:
a de la Bechesque impasse: “Qui est la?”

And so, to giant-hunters, Aldworth bound
I say: “If you seek giants, watch the skies!
Turn neither left nor right at man-made ruse;
the Sky Gods stir – PREPARE FOR A SURPRISE!”

Barrie is the Chair of the Newbury Poetry workshop.

Out Today - The Giant Watch Times

As a special supplement of today's Newbury Weekly News, the first ever issue of The Giant Watch Times has been published with exclusive information and sightings of The Berkshire Giant! Go grab your copy today (click each page below to enlarge).

Aldworth Giant Fair this week

Sunday 17th June is the day hen in tradition fashion, the village of Aldworth will celebrate its giants with music, pageant and feasting. Musicians and performers travel miles to the fair where hundreds of people will gather in the flag-lined streets. Despite the village’s rural location and rustic English charm, the event will see performances by fire breathers, stilt walkers and colourful, exotic performers from Africa and Europe alongside the traditional morris dancers, folk musicians, mummers troupes and storytellers.

The centrepiece of the event at 2pm is a colourful parade where children from schools across the county mount a vivid procession through the village and down the country lanes to the ancient church, bringing the gifts they have made for the giants.

This year a folk orchestra made up of children from across the country will perform a concert for the Giants of Aldworth Church and in a nod to the Olympics, this year’s Giant Far will also feature Giant Games – non-athletes need not be afraid; giant long jump and giant strong man competitions have been eschewed in favour of fete favourites such as a giant buzzer and wire and enormous quoits.

Strange Goings-On In Compton

A local video blogger in Compton lets us know about strange noises and things going missing in his village - could it be more evidence of Giants in the area?

Video made by Compton Teenscene Youth Group with help from Real Time.

Alice in Wonderland

Wonderful classic giant entertainment. Lewis Carroll certainly had a soft spot for gigantism what with the rapid growing and shrinking of his leading lady.

Green Giant

What's that rumbling?! Oh, it's just my stomach. Must be nealy dinner time.

I fancy sweetcorn! Yums!

"The Footprint of God"

Take a look at this stunning fossilised Giant's footprint in South Africa. Maybe the Aldworth Giants went there on holiday a few millennia ago?

Local Schools getting Giant Fever

Around West Berkshire, seven ‘Giant Schools’ have been taking part in a huge range of exciting games and activities in the run up to the coming of The Berkshire Giant and have gone mad for our enormous friends!

At Streatley Primary School, Years 1 and 2 have created a visual retelling of Jack & The Beanstalk, are growing their own beanstalks and have started a giant sculpture project looking at Matisse. Years 3 and 4 have been writing their own versions of the Aldworth Giants myth, addressing the reasons that John Ever Afraid had been hiding in the church wall for over 600 years. Years 5 and 6 have been working on a maths project using ratios to work out how tall a Giant would be based on the size of a footprint and the ratios of their own bodies. They are also designing chair, scaled up to suit the size of their Giant.

"This has been a thoroughly inspiring project sparked by our West Berkshire history. It is valuable for the children to have something that is so local but also truly giant in the ideas it has generated.”
Chris Prickett, Headteacher

10 Things you didn't know about Giants

1. Giants have extraordinary appetites and must eat the equivalent of at least 3 shopping trolleys worth of food a day, including the trolley.

2. Despite their size giants have relatively small territories, sometimes as small as a couple of miles across, and they will only leave these territories if forced to do so.

3. Giants are allergic to soap, including many leading brands of hand-wash and body scrubs.

4. A Giant cannot resist a bet, however small or foolish.

5. Due to their bi-immaterial genetic nature, Giants will not show up on radar or GPS satellite technology.

6. Because of their superior height and enlarged cranial cavities, Giants have extremely sensitive hearing and can even pick up some radio signals as they pass through the air; consequently they loathe and avoid mobile phone masts.

7. A Giant’s digestive system cannot process many contemporary modern foodstuffs, such as coffee, and even the distant aroma of many of these foods can cause bouts of giant flatulence.

8. Giants love trees. They are extraordinarily fond of them, often having individual names for every tree in their territory.

9. Giants are afraid of large groups of buildings, such as towns. However they are attracted to shabby outbuildings, dilapidated sheds and lean-tos much as a fox is attracted to an unattended dustbin.

10. It is in a Giant’s nature to fiddle about in the land, whether trying to damn a stream with fallen logs or spending days on end attempting to balance piles of rocks on top of one another.

Giant Chess

Is there a better game for a Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend? I think not.

World's Tallest

In ongoing Giant research, we investigate the tallest and smallest men in the world.

Washing a Giant

Giants have to put out their washing too you know?

Potential Giant Sighting!

Tensions seems to be growing around the West Berkshire countryside with more and more unexplained happenings including these experiences by a local farmer:

“My tractor is usually so reliable but then yesterday morning it just wouldn’t start. When I looked under the bonnet the engine was gone! The ground was littered with bits of it, like something huge had tried to eat it and then spat it out all over the field.”

“Later I saw something hiding behind my barn and when I went to investigate, all the hay bales had moved. It was like they’d been laid out like a huge bed. Then my cows charged across the field - they seemed really spooked by something.”

Giant Tracker David Biggs:
“This is classic giant behaviour – curious, clumsy but also very shy. I wouldn’t be surpirised at all if there was a giant loose in those hills!”

If you spot a giant around Berkshire or see anything strange that could be explained by giant activity, please get in contact with us here at Giant Watch.

Signs in the Landscape

An ancient Yew Tree thought to be over 1000 years old stands in Aldworth churchyard. The tree has been struck by lightning several times over the centuries but its curious shape and strange disfigurement could hint at some altercations with the Aldworth Giants during its lifetime.

The Berkshire Giant Prophecy

Statement form The Ancient Order of the Elk, an order of druids based in and around Berkshire:

West Berkshire take heed as on Sunday 17th June 2012, an ancient prophecy will be fulfilled and once again Giants will walk the Earth. We, The Ancient Order of the Elk, have seen many signs in the wind, the trees and via communication with the most mythical and beautiful of all woodland creatures, the elk, that in Aldworth village, on this given date, a Giant who has been buried within the walls of the church will rise up from a 600 year slumber.


Man has long forgotten the truth about Giants, preferring to paint them as crude, violent animals, and so we feel it imperative that people relearn and remember the truth about Giants. When he awakes, this magical creature will be tired, hungry and confused, he may even lash out in confused desperation but please hold in your mind that he is nothing to fear. In contrast to their size, Giants are gentle, shy creatures that will be far more fearful of us than we are of him and he must be protected.


The Ancient Order of the Elk will do everything in our power to help this incredible creature but we will need your help. Please congregate at Aldworth Church on Sunday 17th June to aid in the protection and preservation of this most rare and wonderful Giant.

Queer Noises at Aldworth Church

Over the past week or so, there have been reports of reoccurring strange noises and rattling inside St Mary’s Church in Aldworth, West Berkshire. One woman described the sounds as an odd, deep rumbling and another claimed they could hear a strange muffled voice gently singing along to a hymn during a recent Christening. The church’s caretaker also claims to have heard eerie scraping sounds most afternoons.

Legend tells of a Giant know as John Ever Afraid who was buried inside the church’s walls over 600 years ago but so far no connection has been made.

Evidence of Giants at Grim’s Ditch

Across the Downs end near Aldworth and Streatley, there is a long ditch that, legend has it, was ploughed in one night by the Devil. However, a more plausible explanation for this strange geographic feature is Giant activity as the creatures are well documented as landscape architects.

Historical Evidence of Giants

Thomas Hearne – 18th century Oxford aniquarian:

"With respect to the milliaria between Aldworth and Streatley, I have lately been informed that one of these stones of gigantic size was formerly to be seen in the middle of a field near Kiddington, about a mile west of Streatley. The occupier of the farm removed this immense stone, with a team of eight horses, to a more convenient spot about a quarter of a mile distant, where to this day it still remains. The story that it was thrown hither by one of the GIANTS is still told, and as implicitly believed by the common people; who say, further, that the print of the giant's hand, made when he grasped the stone, may yet be distinctly seen!"

The BFG – Giant Fact or Giant Fiction?

Roald Dahl’s giant in The BFG is probably closer to the reality of Giants than many people realise and it wouldn’t surprise me if Dahl himself met a real Giant in his lifetime to base his famous book around.

Most Giants, including The BFG, are benevolent, kind and operate in the strictest secrecy. The fact the BFG can hear and collect dreams though is frankly ridiculous.

Giant Film Reviews

Resident Giant expert Terry Gold takes us through some Giant related DVD's available to rent through your local video store or through the portals of the internet. First up, we have.

BIG

This is the kind of misleading title that gets my blood boiling. I was expecting a tale about a giant causing havoc in middle America. Cars being chucked around, power lines falling on railways, a comely lass in an evening dress hiding under a small bridge. Instead it’s about a boy who puts a penny in a magic slot machine and turns into an adult of decidedly average size played by actor Tom Hanks. There is absolutely nothing Big nor clever about this film. Thumbs down.

GULLIVERS TRAVELS

Having studied the DVD cover intently, I was struck by the image of an oversized man being tied up and terrorised by tiny people. This, I thought, would be a sensitive study into the challenges of being a giant adrift in a modern world that reacts with fear and violence instead of peace and tolerance towards our oversized bretheren. It wasn't that. What is was, was total rubbish.

TROLL HUNTER

Now we're talking. This was flipping brilliant! I'll admit I'm biased. I was an advisor on this film and, despite a few factual inaccuracies (the Troll Hunter failed to use cross ply tyres on the Land Rover for example - the kind of mistake that had us all laughing into our popcorn buckets), I’m pleased to report that the makers took on board many of my suggestions, which, in my humble opinion, resulted in a well researched and gripping tale. Trolls are much more stupid than Giants though - and I would only ever recommend shooting an angry one with a vapourising gun as a last resort. From my experience in the Fjords, a thermos flask of milky tea and a packet of bourbon biscuits placed in the path of a charging Troll usually keeps them occupied long enough for you to retreat to a safe distance without any unecessary carnage.

The Legend of the Aldworth Giants

Throughout history, there have been many stories told of giants roaming the West Berkshire landscape – the most famous of which is the tale of John Ever Afraid.

Inside St Mary’s Church in Aldworth there are several stone effigies made in honour of a family of giants who once lived in the fields surrounding the town. The giants were known as John Long, John Strong and John Never Afraid. There was a fourth giant called John Ever Afraid but he was buried inside the walls of the church.

Legend has it that 600 years ago John Ever Afraid sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for worldly riches. The bargain was that the Devil would claim his soul whether John Ever Afraid was buried inside or outside the church and so burying his body within the church walls meant that the Devil was cheated of his prize.

Some Things Giants love Doing

Rolling down dew soaked hills

Collecting different types of mud

Hiding

Scratching their backs on big rocks

Splashing through streams

Singing with birds

Bending trees into funny shapes