Midsummer’s Day and the Mysterious White Rose
Deep in the heart of Bluestone, nestled beside the bustling Village, is a little church that’s hundreds of years old. Ancient traditions surround the church of Newton North, which dates back to the 12th century and has been carefully looked after by the Bluestone team long before our resort opened.
Within the contract of ownership of the little ruined church, there is an ancient clause which dictates that, if requested to do so, the owner must present the Church of Wales with a white rose to mark St John’s Day (Midsummer’s Day), or Gŵyl Ifan Ganol Haf as it’s known in the Welsh language.
While the Church of Wales has never formally asked us for the rose, we mark the occasion by presenting one to the old church on the resort each year to uphold the tradition. In the past, we’ve marked the occasion with parades and a few unexpected surprises.
Cerys aged 8, was visiting with her family on Midsummer’s Eve. She said: “On Sunday we went to see the Black Bart Dinner Show at the Wild Wood Cafe which was really great. When we came outside a lady gave me a sunflower to hold, Daddy was given a massive Butterfly! There was a big flower and a bird too, Mummy took loads of photos of us on the way.
“A band started playing music and then we started walking towards the standing stone. We walked passed our lodge. Our holiday next-door neighbors were on their path waving to us, it was really cool! When we got to the standing stone we stood in a circle, there were giant leaves on the grass and it was really sunny, we could see for miles!
“The ladies did a dance and I joined in, then they said we could pick a leaf for our family. I carried it with my friend Isla, we put our sunflowers in the middle so it was like a bed. Then we walked to the village, it was really fun and there were lots of people. “When we got to the grass by the play area there was a big yellow flower.
The people with the little leaves put them down around it first and then we put the big leaves on top. It was called a Mandala and it looked really pretty. “Then we stood in two circles, me, Mummy and Isla were in the front and Daddy was in the circle behind, we skipped in a circle round and round.
The Bluestone Crew made an arch with the giant flowers and things, and then we walked down to the village for dancing. “I had lots of fun and I got to take my sunflower home!”