What Are They Looking Up At?

At noon on the May 29th each year, the statue of King Charles II which sits high on the portico of All Saints Church, Northampton, is garlanded with oak leaves. This day is known as Oak Apple Day, when the restoration of the English monarchy in May 1660 is remembered. Charles also helped fund the restoration of All Saints after the Great Fire of Northampton (1675).

The statue is accessed via a stair leading to a portico high above the crowd. This year's mayor (a rotund gentleman) had the task of placing the garland on the statue. It took him four or five attempts as he was unable to lean far enough out over the concrete balustrade. Eventually he managed it with a bit of a hoop-la technique - hence the pleasure (and relief) of the awaiting dignitaries and townsfolk.