Malmesbury Jackdaw

Drawings, Photographs, Poems and Stories

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Malmesbury

The Oldest Borough In England

A hilltop town
A fortress rare
With water all around.
Its people brave
To fight the foe
Who would their town surround

On King's Heath was a battle fought
Against the marauding Dane
The King embroiled, his faithful folk
To rescue him they came.

"Thanks for your help. I'll give to you
A charter for the town
This Heath for common lands for aye,
You have not let me down."

The folk of Malmesbury proudly hold
The Common to this day
And land and houses in the town.
Right proud of them, be they.

The families of the Malmesbury folk
Throughout the world, spread wide,
Still talk of their ancestral home
With reverence and with pride.

And those that live within the Town
Their history can remain the same.
Their history can be traced right back
To when the Vikings came.
Jill Stephens 16.11.99

Why Jackdaws ?

Some time ago here in the Wiltshire hill top town
of Malmesbury surrounded by the River Avon and home to my family I recall there used to be a group of people who would dress up as jackdaws on carnival day and walk along side the procession collecting pennies for local charities. I also remember something about the neighbouring towns people from Tetbury, calling Malmesbury people Jackdaws.
I wonder if anybody can tell me more about this perhaps even write some words for this page or site on the subject of the Malmesbury Jackdaws.
Dave Forward.

Any other stories about Malmesbury past or present are sought for publication.
Please write to the:
Malmesbury Jackdaw

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