A SHEAF of corn was held aloft for what could well be the last time at Bolitho Farm near Liskeard as local people took part in the ancient ’Crying the Neck’ ceremony.

James Moon, who is retiring and leaving the farm where his family have been tenants since 1875, had scythed the last cut of corn - the Neck - and raised it to the North, East and South in repetition of a tradition that has taken place for thousands of years.

In years gone past large crowds have gathered at Bolitho Farm for the event: this time, it was a small, socially-distanced group who gathered on the farmhouse lawn. Representatives of the Old Cornwall Society (OCS), the Town Council, church and friends of the Moon family did not want to let this important moment go by unmarked.

Crying the Neck is a celebration in thanksgiving for the harvest that goes back to pagan times, and in the early days some rather gruesome sacrifices were involved. With the coming of Christianity a more civilised event was adopted, but that lapsed at the end of the 19th century. The Old Cornwall movement revived the Crying the Neck celebration in St Ives in 1928, and the Liskeard Old Cornwall Society soon followed suit.

During this year’s event in Liskeard, OCS president Brian Oldham presented James Moon with a photograph from 1983 showing three generations of Moons attending that year’s Crying the Neck. An inscribed glass trug was also presented in appreciation of the use of Bolitho fields for the event for so many years.

Prayers and readings were given by Father Gilmour of the Roman Catholic Church with translation into Cornish by Rod Sheaff. James Moon, for last time at Bolitho, raised the last cut of corn, the Neck, to the North, the East and the South shouting "Yma genef!", the gathering responded with "Pandr’us genes?", James replied "Pen Yar!" and we all shouted " Houra!". All became clear when Mayor of Liskeard Rachel Brooks repeated the process but in English; "I have’n!", "What have’ee?", "A neck!" and "Hurrah!". Proceedings ended with a rousing rendition of Trelawny and James’ friends from the Rotary Club enjoyed a socially distanced picnic on the lawn.