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Updated July 2021
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This site is dedicated in the memory of who inspired me to delve deep into the magic of the free festival and who passed away Sept 3rd 2010. R.I.P. Roger ..... |
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1967-1992. |
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The White Horse Free Festival
Westbury .
19th-23rd June 1985.
Well, this appears to have been a pretty low key event , which was held in the area adjoining the Vale of the White Horse over a few years -probably at a few different sites . Lists give a festival as being held in 1985 19th – 23rd June at Westbury, featuring Hawkwind and Ozric Tentacles . We believe this was where refugees from the Battle of The Beanfield retreated to when the Henge do was trashed by Thatchers minions .Roads were blocked off and if anyone left the site they were not allowed to return .
Hi
When
the 'convoy left savernake forest, after the bean field supposedly to head
to stoehenge, we all went to westbury instead.
i dont believe there had been a festival there before...it was simply an alternative
to stonehenge, just before solstice, because the police wouldnt allow us any
nearer.
it was possible to walk accross salisbury plain to stonehenge from here, as
some people managed.
I
have had these pages since the police refused to accept them off us as we
left Westbury Bratton camp in june/july 1985..cant remembr the exact date.
we had asked whoever had something to say to the police, who had held us under
siege for weeks,to write it down, and we'd hand it to the highest ranking
officer on the way out.
Typically, they refused to even talk to us, so the missive was tossed in the glove compartment.
Ive often wondered what to do with it, but I reckon your wonderful archives would be a great place for people to see these brief but interesting messages from the past.
Ive
enclosed the 6 pages as scanned from the originals.
I hope they are of interest.
they were heady days indeed.
all the best
Will Greenwood
I
was "Kettled" as they now call it, from Stonehenge to Uffingham
in 1985 by the good forces of law and order.
4 of us had jumped on our bikes on a hot, sunny day in Devon and rode for
about 30 mins before the rain started.
We had no tent, waterproofs, sleeping bags - we were well prepared!
It rained all the way there, all the time we were there, and all the way back.
But we didn't care, we were going to the 'Henge!
Before the plod let us ride away from their Stonehenge blockade, we were virtually
strip searched in a large semi-public tent, in the middle of nowhere. For
riding motorbikes on an open road, in a free country! They missed me grinding
my pipe into the mud, and the stash in the bike.
We headed for "The White Horse" where Hawkwind were rumoured to
be playing, but we never saw them - and we were sleeping against the stage
for shelter.
During the night, the wind got up and a length of scaffold broke free and
hit me on the head and back.
Fortunately, I was wearing my lid, to keep my ears warm!
We swam home by bike.
Thanks for reminding me of a distant memory.
Kind regards,
Spike,
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This list of festivals is in no way definitive and is being added to whenever new information turns up , therefore the site is constantly being updated . Information has often been gleaned from net scouring and therefore is almost definitely NOT completely accurate . If you can help with ANY information please do not hesitate to Contact us
Any info to add- well don't just sit there ! Contact us
Free festivals and small fayres held in the United Kingdom between 1967-90.
1967-69.
1970-79 |
1980-92 |
Main list of Free festivals 1970-1985
Free rock festivals of the 70s and 80s
Publications
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We are proud of the contribution we have made to Andy Worthington's sociological history of Stonehenge and the free festival scene in the UK .This new book gives a fascinating insight into the various counter cultural obsessions with the Stones and provides a variety of new perspectives to many of the key events surrounding the Henge such as the Battle Of The Beanfield and the more recent attempts hold a celebration at the Stones during the Solstice.
Find out more about this great book by clicking on the image on the left and visit the Heart of Albion Press web site . |
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Sending details of a small book I've just self-published which might be of interest to some readers of your admirable site.
I have featured the book and its contents on one of my blogs too:
With many thanks in advance John Kruse
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Tibetan Ukranian Mountain Troupe-surreal pranksters of the Traveller community .
Acidia Lightshow Lightshow for Windsor festival and Stonehenge in the 1970s.
Traveller Daves Website - Chock full of of free festival photos !
Many, many thanks go to Roger Hutchinson , Big Steve , Roger Duncan, Celia, Will , Chazz, Jeza ,Chris Hewitt ,The Fabulous Time Tortoise , Peter Piwowarski - ( 70s music site/photos ) Martin S, Steve Austin ,Traveller Dave, Herb, Tim Brighton, Vin Miles, Haze Evans , Noddy Guevara, Chris Brown, Janet Thompson, David Stooke, Gary Gibbons , Nigel Ayers, Rich Deakin ,Glenda Pescardo,Justin Warman,Brian F, Steve Bayfield, Kev Ellis, Paul Seaton and many other minor contributors for their help in providing the archival material related to these free festivals which has at enabled us to construct the site .
Any info to add ?-well don't just sit there , Contact us