Derbyshire War Memorials
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Memorial Title

Shrovetide in the Trenches (Lost)

Summary

Derbyshire War Memorials: a description of a war memorial well dressing at Coffin Well, Tissington, Derbyshire, commemorating the centenary of Shrovetide football in the trenches.
Images

Well dressing
Locations

Last known location:
Coffin Well
Chapel La
Tissington
Derbyshire
Nearest postcode:
DE6 1RA

NGR:
SK 17826 52276
(From online digital mapping.)
Location details:

The well is in a private garden and only accessible during well dressing week.
Type

Overall type: Well dressing.


Overall condition: Lost


Description:

A traditional temporary well dressing tableau made from flowers and other vegetation pressed into clay held in a wooden frame comprising an arch with a recessed panel at the centre. The central panel was an upright oblong with rounded arch top and bore a pictorial scene of a group of infantrymen in battledress and puttees playing Ashbourne-style Shrove Football in the trenches. The two side panels each depicted Shrovetide footballs, that on the left illustrating an Olympic torch runner and other sporting items, that to the right depicting a seated WW1 infantryman in a state of weariness and the finial bore a design featuring red poppies. The lettering on the arch was in yellow sentence case lettering against a pale blue ground; that on the side panels in red on a pale blue ground, and that on the finial in white.
Components:

Component Material Height Width Depth Condition
Mosaic Clay, plant material c3500 c2500 c50 Lost
Frame Wood c3500 c2500 c50 Unknown
Dimensions in millimetres ±5mm unless stated otherwise.
Inscription

Finial:
Conflicts and people named:
Conflict First World War (1914-1919) Totals
Action
Number died 0 0
Number served and returned 0 0
Total names 0 0
4 March 2003
Arch:
Shrovetide in the Trenches
2016
Central panel:
Sus-St-Léger 1916
Left panel:
Then
friend
meets
friend in
friendly
strife
The
leather
for to
gain
Right panel:
For loyal
the Game
shall ever
be
No matter
when or
where
Foot:
Coffin Well
Administration

Custodian: Not known.

Local authorities:
Tissington Parish Council; Derbyshire Dales District Council; Derbyshire County Council.
History

Spring 2016: The memorial was planned, designed and constructed by members of the local community.

5th May 2016: The well dressing was blessed by the local clergy.

5th May 2015: The well dressing was displayed from 5th to 11th May 2015

12th May 2015: The memorial was dismantled and the components salvaged for future use.
References

Ashbourne News Telegraph; 30th July, 2014: An article regarding the commemoration of the Shrovetide football game held in France in 1916.

Well dressing details are available from the welldressing.com site run by Glyn Williams.
Comments

On 7th March 1916 the 1/6th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) Regiment played a game of Shrovetide Football while stationed in the French village of Ivergny near Sus-Saint-Léger, France. Lt Colonel Goodman arranged for two companies to play as Up'Ards and two more as Down'Ards. The ball was goaled by Pte (or Cpl) J H Robinson of "C" Company, from Parwich.

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