Welcome to the Pilton Festival - Click here to read the latest news stories from the festival

July 18th-20th, 2008. Pilton, Barnstaple. Pilton Festival Office - 01271 375776

A BOUYANT, boisterous community event, Pilton’s Green Man Festival is etched on all locals’ calendars.
Boasting its own, splendid green man carving in the ancient Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Pilton’s celebration of the rebirth and renewal the tradition pagan figure is said to symbolise goes a step further.

It also celebrates the renewal and re-strengthening of the Pilton community and links closely with today’s concerns for sustainability.

But behind this serious ethos this festival is a proper street party and a must-attend activity that is visited from far and wide.

And no wonder. There’s a street fair, where craftsmen and women show and sell their work, dancing, street performers, exhibitions, children’s workshops, storytelling, a beer festival and live music – to the tune of more than 40 different acts, including some internationally renowned
performers.

Then there’s the costumed musical procession, involving around 200 revellers, which snakes its way from The Square in Barnstaple to the heart of Pilton during the morning and afternoon.
More in the way of vibrant entertainment arrives with the festival’s pageant which, along with the procession, is at the heart of the festival.

This is held in the grounds of Pilton House and promises to be a stunning visual interpretation of growth and renewal, the changing seasons and the meeting between the Prior and the Green Man, representing the initial antagonism of the two characters and the subsequent inclusion of the pagan figure within the Church.
Finally, many charities benefit from the festival as it provides a superb opportunity for fundraising activities.
All in all, Pilton Festival provides a wonderfully enjoyable spectacle for visitors of all ages in a charming village
atmosphere.

Please note: Pilton street is closed to traffic from 10am until 5pm.

The Green Man and Pilton

The Green Man is said to be an ancient symbol of nature and fertility, frequently depicted in carvings in old churches as a face sprouting foliage. A splendid green man carving is present in the ancient Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Pilton.

The Prior of the Benedictine Priory of Pilton lived at Bull House until the Reformation.

The Ritual enacted at the Pilton Festival is believed to represent the initial antagonism of the two characters, Prior and Green Man, and the subsequent inclusion of the pagan figure within the Church.

The Pilton Worm is a monster whose origin must lie among the mythical dragons and sea creatures of old. It is said that when the Pilton Worm appears in Pilton, travellers to Ilfracombe are inexplicably unable to see the Worm’s Head across the channel in Wales.

Pilton was granted a charter to hold an annual market by Edward III. This is a major feature of the festival and enables craftsmen and women to show and sell their work, and also provides the opportunity for charity workers to raise money for worthy causes, in an atmosphere of fun and spectacle.