Local historian: Tar Barrels... in Sidmouth?

Love it or hate it, most of us only associate Tar Barrel rolling on 5 November with Ottery St Mary - but apparently it was popular in many towns and villages in Devon, including Sidmouth!

An article from 1870 claims that there was great disorder in Sidmouth town centre, where blazing tar barrels were put up against Mr Bennetts Sadlers shop in New Street.

His windows were broken, and it was with great difficulty that they managed to save his shop from being burnt down.

There are several other accounts of flaming barrels, squibs and crackers being used in the town, and of men and boys wearing masks and fancy dress, going door to door collecting pennies for the old guy.

Up to no good

By the late 1800s, local authorities tried to discourage this practice and carnivals gradually replaced this time-honoured tradition.

More by Graham Symington:

1. The history of the now-demolished Blackmore Hall
2. The history of Sidmouth's Connaught Gardens
3. A dancing bear, girls of bad character and smuggling: The history of Sidmouth's The Old Ship Inn
4. Sidmouth, Jane Austen and ITV's Sanditon
5. The history of The Byes, in pictures