A Pig Of A Marriage at the Dunmow Flitch Trials

A Pig Of A Marriage at the Dunmow Flitch Trials | Flitch and winners (c) Dunmow Flitch Trials (p) GoUK.com

What

Dunmow Flitch Trials

When

Saturday 14 July 2012

Where

Great Dunmow, Essex

The Fanfare

Couples from anywhere in the world who can prove that they are happily married may apply to be awarded half a pig in a ‘court’ held at the Dunmow Flitch Trials every four years.

To qualify, married couples have to be able to swear that for a year and a day they have not regretted getting married.

If they can convince the ‘court’, they are awarded a flitch of bacon (a side of pig).

The ‘trials’ are an ancient tradition and held every four years in Great Dunmow, Essex, 65km (40 miles) north-east of London.

It is believed that in 1104 the Lord of the Manor Reginald Fitzwalter and his wife dressed as humble folk and begged blessing of the Prior a year and a day after their marriage.

The Prior was impressed by their devotion and gave them a flitch of bacon. Fitzwalter then gave his land to the Priory on the condition that a flitch should be awarded to any couple who could claim they were similarly devoted.

For the modern ‘trials’ there is a court presided over by a Judge, with Counsel representing the claimants and Opposing Counsel representing the donors of the Flitch of Bacon, a Jury of six maidens and six bachelors, a Clerk of the Court to record the proceedings and an Usher to maintain order.

It is not a competition between the couples.

All the couples could be successful in their claim, which is vigorously defended by Counsel employed on behalf of the donors of the bacon, whose job is to test their evidence and try to persuade the jury not to grant them the Flitch.

Successful couples are carried in the ancient Flitch Chair to the Market Place, where they take an oath kneeling on pointed stones.

In the last trials in 2008, four couples qualified for the Flitch including a couple from Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

This year’s Dunmow Flitch Trials take place on Saturday 14 July.

Couples who want to be considered must apply by 29 February.

Great Dunmow, Essex
Website: www.dunmowflitchtrials.co.uk