COMMONERS DAY 2016
Commoners Day in 2016 took place on Sunday October 2nd and was jointly organised by The Friends of Effingham Common, Guildford Borough Council and Effingham Parish Council. The event was formally opened by the Mayor of Guildford at 12pm. It was a bright and sunny day with not too much cloud about.
The Marquees
The marquees, kindly loaned by the 1st Effingham Scouts, housed presentations by GBC, ELHG, the Scouts and others.
The Scouts (left) and ELHG (right) sections.
Display by ELHG on the Common’s wildlife.
Outside Activities
These included a Nature Trail for children, a climbing wall supplied by Surrey Outdoor Learning Centre (“SOLD”) and a presentation and tour explaining the brickmaking that had once been a significant local industry on the Common.
The start of the Nature Trail.
A few more pictures of the outside activities can be seen in this gallery.
Animals and Commoners’ Rights
The exercising of the Commoners’ rights was begun at 2pm, maintaining the important tradition of publicly upholding and reaffirming those rights from year to year.
Animals brought to graze; at left is the Mayor of Guildford, Cllr. Gordon Jackson standing next to Mr Arnold Pindar, Chairman of Effingham Parish Council.
Brickmaking Tour
The day was rounded off with a tour of the former brickmaking area of the Common given by geologist and ELHG member Dr Mark Eller, who first gave a short talk to the participants explaining the nature and context of this early Effingham industry.
