MDMD(11): The Annual Cheese-Rolling

[Dave Monroe]

"'Twas at the annual cheese-rolling at parish church in Randwick ..." (M&D, 
Ch. 16, p. 167)

As is periodically pointed out here, said rolling is an actual tradition, 
which continues to the present day in a couple of locations in England, 
e.g., ...

"Once a year, the tiny town of Brockworth, England, gets very excited about 
chasing cheeses down a steep hill.  They call it the Cooper's Hill Cheese 
Roll, and out-of-control, gravity-defying contest, and they've been doing it 
for 200 years as a spring fertility ritual.  The cheesy chase draws 
thousands of spectators to the hillside.  Everybody from the mayor to local 
boys and girls has pursued the great wheel of Double Gloucester down the 
100-foot descent."

http://www.whatsgoingon.com/100things.cgi/cheeseroll/

http://www.whatsgoingon.com/coolest.gci/place/19985205

And see as well ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_356000/356829.stm

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9705/27/fringe/cheese.rolling/

The latter includes links to, er, footage (what to call that in the Age of 
Digital Reproduction?) of Cheeses rotational ...

But Pynchon/Cherrycoke/Mason's cheese-rolling is specifically the celebrated 
Randwick Wap, which endures as well ...

"Randwick is only one of two villages who still enjoy the ancient custom of 
cheese rolling. In Randwick the cheeses - usually three double Gloucesters 
are rolled mystically and anticlockwise around the Church after being 
blessed.

"The Church service begins at 10.30am on the first Sunday in May. The 
rolling of the cheeses supposedly wards off evil spirits. After rolling, one 
of the cheeses is cut up and shared amongst bystanders. Eating of the cheese 
protects ones’ fertility and ensures future generations of 'Runickers' - the 
local name for villagers.

"The other two cheeses are kept until the following Saturday when they are 
rolled down the steep slopes of the Well Leaze three times as part of the 
ancient Wap celebration...."

http://www.randwick-gateway.freepage.co.uk/rollpage.html

"The Randwick Wap is an ancient procession and festival which dates back to 
the middle ages.  It was revived in 1972 by the late Reverend Nial Morrison 
having been halted due to rowdiness in 1892.

"The colorful and musical procession of villagers in traditional costume 
wends it way from the War Memorial to the Mayor's Pool .... The procession 
is lead by the Mop Man who swishes his wet mop to clear the crowds.

"During the procession, the Mayor and Queen are carried shoulder-high and 
escorted by an entourage of Flag-boys, Ladies-in-waiting, Cheese-bearers, 
Princesses, a Sword-bearer and a Flag-man.  The Mayor is dunked in the 
Mayor's Pool before being doused with spring water.  The procession 
continues to the Well Leeze where two Double Gloucester cheeses are rolled 
down the steep slope."

http://www.randwick-gateway.freepage.co.uk/wappage.html

Note that the Randwick Wap 2001 was postponed 'til this past Septmeber 
because of an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease, but, for those planning 
their vacations, the first and second Sundays of May 2002 are the 6th and 
the 13th.  But why "Wap"?  If someone would be so kind ...

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