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The Paganhill Maypole

Welcome To The Web Site of The Paganhill Maypole, Gloucestershire, England.

The Paganhill Maypole is maintained wholly from donations from local people and the fund raising activities of the committee of the Paganhill Maypole Society

2004 — Stroud 700th Anniversary Maypole


The village had now been without its maypole for several years and both locals and visitors began to miss having their old traditional friend about the village.

The committee were anxious to find a replacement that would stand the test of time as the continual high maintenance costs I of recent poles were draining the society’s financial reserves.


Poles of recent years did not seem to enjoy the same longevity as their predecessors. Forestry experts advised that pitch pine and Canadian redwood would be suitable timbers with larch being the preferred choice. Steel and concrete motorway lighting poles, aluminium tubes and fibreglass flagstaffs were also considered. Prices for the various options ranged from £2000 up to £9000, all of which were beyond the prevailing society’s funds. A sufficiently strong case could not be made to the Lottery Commission for a Heritage grant.

In the end, although reluctant to break with tradition, the committee decided to opt for a 60 foot glass fibre pole as used by the admiralty for flag masts. At a cost of about £1500 it was the only viable option and would only require a minimum of upkeep.

Its purchase was made possible by the very timely donation of £1500 by Tim Lodge and whose generosity was to be recorded on a plaque to be attached to the new maypole.




The pole was delivered to committee member Haydn Sutton at Parkfield arriving at Paganhill on 29th April 2004.

Its weight of 85 Kilos (1881bs). Being in two sections it made handling much easier when compared to traditional wooden maypoles of 3 to 4 tons.


It was decided to site this new pole at the original triangular road junction as there were no objections by either the local planning department or the insurance underwriters.

The committee also felt that pole deserved the more prominent and public situation that this position afforded.

A large concrete emplacement was poured in to form the base and was allowed to cure for several weeks. At the same time the pole was being professionally coated with special paint but in the usual traditional colour scheme. A hinged plate was fixed to the concrete base ready to receive the pole.


Half the pole being taken to Haydn Suttons for painting

The lifting finally took place on Sunday afternoon of the 3rd October 2004 in front of a gathering crowd of some 150 people.

The bottom section was transported with one end supported on Haydn’s pick-up truck with the other end being carried by members of the committee and many willing helpers. The two sections were bolted together and then attached to the hinged base plate. The whole pole was then gently lifted by the two Ellis Crane operators who carefully navigated the rising pole between the surrounding street furniture checking at the same time, the base plate alignment. The whole operation was completed in just over the hour in gentle rain in only a slight breeze. Haydn Sutton then went up in the crane’s lift cage to undo the supporting sling and raise the Union flag to a round of applause.


The new painted fibre glass pole gently being raised

There immediately followed a ‘Ceremony of Dedication’ lead by Padre Brian Wooleston, vicar of Whiteshill.

John Nation, the society’s spokesman, gave a brief history of previous maypoles and Cllr. Kevin Cranston read the appropriate lesson from the scriptures.  The assembled gathering then sang ‘Lord of the Dance’ and Cllr Sheffie Mohammed gave a short address on behalf of the district council prior to the final Blesing of the pole. The committee and helpers then retired to the Maypole Hall to enjoy a ‘bring and share supper’ with other members of the parish.


The final bolting of the hinge plate

Padre Brian Wooleston conducting the Ceremony of Dedication with Chair Sue Sutton looking on

The plague noting Tim Lodges generosity

The 60ft fibre glass maypole flying the

Gloucestershire flag

The 2004 Paganhill Maypole Society Committee (left to right)

Richard White, George Lodge, Haydn Sutton, Ann Driver, Tim Lodge,

Sue Sutton, Kath Horton, John Nation, Peter Harris and Bill Horton

Photographed by the new fibre glass pole with the old weather vein (too heavy for the new pole). The weather vein was later attached to the side of the Paganhill Village Hall.

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