Our
story has especially to do with the adventures of one of the party, John
Sturtridge, who, well primed with ale, started on his homeward way for
Luxulyan Church-town. John had got as far as Tregarden Down without any
mishap worth recording, when, alas he happed upon a party of the little
people, who were at their sports in the shelter of a huge granite boulder.
Assailed by shouts of derisive laughter, he hastened on frightened and
bewildered, but the Down, well known from early experience, became like
ground untrodden, and after long trial no gate or stile was to be found. He
was getting vexed, as well as puzzled, when a chorus of tiny voices shouted:
"Ho I and away for Par Beach!" John repeated the shout, and was in an
instant caught up, and in a twinkling found himself on the sands of Par. A
brief dance, and the cry was given: "Ho! and away for Squire Tremain's
cellar!" A repetition of the Piskie cry found John with his elfish
companions in the cellars at Heligan, where was beer and wine galore. It
need not be said that he availed himself of his opportunities. The mixture
of all the good liquors so affected him that, alas! he forgot in time to
catch up the next cry of "Ho! and away for Par Beach!" In the morning John
was found by the butler, groping and tumbling among butts and barrels, very
much muddled with the squire's good drink. His strange story, very
incoherently told, was not credited by the squire, who committed him to jail
for the burglary, and in due time he was convicted and sentenced to death.So on Lostwithiel's Dickensian Evening between 6:00pm to 9:00pm you are invited to join in the celebrations. This year will be bigger and better than ever with more music, more food and more good will.
If you're wondering what goes on, you're in for a treat, you'll find an old fashioned Victorian Style evening in our Christmas Tree lined streets, with all the local shopkeepers open and dressed up in period costume offering a warm welcome and those unusual gifts you won't find anywhere else and maybe some mulled wine to ward of the winter chill. You'll hear town bands playing and choirs singing carols and Christmas songs, bell ringers ringing, buskers busking, street entertainers entertaining you and an old fashioned children's roundabout.
During the Advent period, homes and businesses around the town with windows overlooking the road set up special window displays with a numbered window, which are illuminated each evening like an Advent calendar.
The windows light up consecutively each evening from 1st to 24th of December; by Christmas Eve there are 24 different windows to see and enjoy as you walk through the town - a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.
The Advent Window Trail has become an instrisic part of Christmas in Lostwithiel, enjoyed by both towns people and visitors.
On New Year's Eve a buzzing carnival parade takes place in the streets of Lostiwthiel to see in the New Year.
Starting at around 11.30pm outside the Kings Arms, the parade of Giants, drummers, pipers, carnival dancers and revellers makes its way down Fore Street, across the Medieval bridge and up Grenville Road to arrive at the Earl of Chatham around midnight. The parade then returns along the same route to finish with more music and dancing at the top of Fore Street.
