Goodrich Straw People

It was the wife's first day off, and as we missed my sons two dogs as we have been on holiday, we picked them up and headed to Goodrich Village, Herefordshire, to do one of our favourite walks, and which is ideal for the dogs.

We parked in the centre of the village and not long after setting off, saw a straw Cruella Deville and a dog hanging on someone's gate. Further on, at Flanesford Priory we saw a very large straw married couple. The next three miles were along the River Wye where the pup, who loves swimming, was in and out, clearly enjoying herself. On re-entering the village from Poppet Hill, more houses had various straw people at the front of their properties.

The blip photo shows one of these straw people which is Harry Potter.

I'm not sure what it was all in aid of, but 'the ball and chain' reckons it's to do with Harvest Festival. I've looked on wikipedia and it's possible; here's their summary-

In Britain, thanks have been given for successful harvests since pagan times. Harvest festival is traditionally held on the Sunday near or of the Harvest Moon. This is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox (about Sept. 23). In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. The celebrations on this day usually include singing hymns, praying, and decorating churches with baskets of fruit and food in the festival known as Harvest Festival, Harvest Home or Harvest Thanksgiving.

If you know otherwise, please advise me. I loved the many straw people we saw.