 |
|
Éù
Moonraking |
|
|
If
you're born and bred in the county, you can rightfully
claim to be a 'Moonraker'.
But
who were the first Moonrakers?
There
are many communities who lay claim to originating the
story but the one we favour is set in Devizes where
a group of sixteenth century smugglers were forced to
hide their contraband in The Crammer after being surprised
by a visit from the excisemen.
As
a ruse, the smugglers pretended they were attempting
to rake a 'cheese' that had rolled into the water.
The
excisemen, seeing the men were in fact raking the moon's
reflection, left the simple country-folk to their labours
and rode out of town, unaware that the Wiltshire men
were having the last laugh!
|
|
| Éù
Multimedia |
|
GALLERY:
Click
here
for The Moonraking Gallery
|
| Éù
Add Your
View |
|
Graham Dunn
Wroughton the place where they sat the pig on the wall to watch the band go by
Gordon
Reeds
On
the Â鶹Éç radio programme 'Open Country' this morning (Sat 3
May) the small town of Marsden situated about 6 miles south
west of Huddersfield in W.Yorks also laid claim to this designation.
|
| A |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
Â鶹Éç
Wiltshire, Broadcasting House, 56-58 Prospect Place, Swindon, Wilts, SN1
3RW
Telephone: 01793 513626 | E-mail: wiltshire@bbc.co.uk |
|
|
