A tale of three cannons
The Chidham Church Youth Group Gala Parade entry was on the theme of the Civil War siege of Chichester in 1642.
The float was representative of the battlements of the city walls, complete with portcullis, coat of arms and trailing ivy. Children and mums and dads from the Church were dressed in period costume, with some as Parliamentarians and some as Royalists.
Following behind the float was a truly enormous cannon hauled along by three Parliamentarians. It was all in aid of the ‘Send a Cow’ charity.
All went well with the parade, and the presence of artillery in the city did not appear to upset the local constabulary unduly.
Approaching the City Cross, the cannon was fired, but without causing noticeable damage, despite an impressive puff of smoke from the cannon’s muzzle.
However, as the parade made its way down North Street , the iron discipline of the gunners appeared to collapse. When they reached the West Cornwall Pasty store, the gunners took a sharp left turn with their cannon into the shop, and attempted to commandeer lunch.
Faced with such an enormous cannon, and three hungry gunners, not forgetting our own Canon David Pain,
the manager of the store, (her name, would you believe it, is Wendy Cannon), mindful that the Parliamentarians might soon be in control of the town, decided it would be politic to sympathise with their cause. She generously handed over the desired pasties and the gunners, much pleased with their mornings work, departed.
At this point it was feared that Father David had gone missing after the unscheduled pasty visit. Did he inadvertently get left behind in the shop?
Fortunately dear reader, all is well. Father David arrived later that afternoon at the ‘Send a cow’ Barbeque at St Wilfrid’s, which he was clearly determined not to miss.
For students of history, this is thought to be the first ever armed raid on the West Cornwall Pasty shop in the city, by a Church group armed with a cannon.