THESE villagers were taking part in the revival of an old tradition – a sheep roast at Headington Quarry in Oxford.

The picture was taken in 1961. The Oxford Mail reported: “As you turned into Headington Quarry Hollow last night, the smell of roasting was unmistakable. It mingled on the cold evening air with the sound of music. If you followed it, you soon came on a group of people leaning over a wall, their faces flickering in fire light.

“And there below, like a scene from an old oil painting, the villagers watched two cooks turning a pair of lambs on a spit. ‘Smashing’, muttered a mufflered schoolboy, thoroughly pleased with his shilling’s worth of meat and bread.”

The custom originated with the dedication of the parish church on November 22, 1849, but stopped when the First World War began.

Before the war, the sheep was eaten at a supper in the Six Bells pub after being hung from a spit over the fire. Children brought slices of bread to catch the fat dropping from the meat.

Memory Lane this week

In 1959, the Friends of Quarry decided to revive the lamb roast to celebrate the building of a wall separating the village from the newly-built Eastern Bypass, and to raise the remaining £30 towards the cost.

The revival was more like a barbecue, with Army Catering Corps chefs from Bicester in charge of the cooking on an open-air fire near the Six Bells.

Slices of mutton, with sauce and bread, were sold for one shilling (5p) each, though many people were disappointed – there was only one sheep and the meat ran out before everyone could be served. The following year, the event was held in a field behind the Masons Arms and music and dancing was added.

The Friends of Quarry also had help from 10 other social, sports and youth groups in the village. They made sure there were two sheep this time.

Even so, with 400 people present this time – double the number the previous year – the meat only just lasted out.

Not everyone was pleased – one reader wrote to the Oxford Mail describing it as pagan and barbaric.

But those who took part were happy to part with their shilling and tuck in.

  • Any memories of the Quarry lamb roast? Please write and let me know.