A large crowd gathered in St Keverne on Friday to mark the annual commemoration of a 15th century Cornish rebellion involving a blacksmith from the village.

Each year a parade and ceremony remembers Michael Joseph (better known as Michael An Gof, where An Gof is Cornish for blacksmith) and Thomas Flamank, who were the leaders of |the Cornish Rebellion of 1497 but ultimately executed.

The An Gof Annual Commemoration is always held on June 27 – the date the pair were killed – with the evening starting at 7pm at the An Gof statue in St Keverne.

Issac Richards and Ruby Lambrick, both St Keverne School pupils, presented flowers at the start and an explanation given on why the group was gathered and what Michael Joseph (An Gof) did for Cornwall.

The whole group then walked in procession to the village square, led by flag bearers and musicians, where the plaques honouring An Gof were read in both English and Cornish.

This was followed by a talk from guest speaker Maureen Fuller, Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh. 

A short service was also carried out, led by the Rev Deidre Mackrill. 

The evening continued in the Parish Hall, with an evening of Cornish themed entertainment. This year the theme was Cornish artist John Opie.

Around the walls was a display of portraits from pupils from St Keverne and Coverack schools in recognition of John Opie. The children also performed a song.

This was followed by the An Gof Players performing a play about John Opie, with a pasty supper in the interval and then more entertainment, including the returning Howard Curnow and his band Thraw'd Together.

An Gof led the rebels in a march on London to protest at King Henry VII's levying a tax to pay for an invasion of Scotland.

The Cornish believed that this was a northern affair and had nothing to do with them, also believing the tax was the work of the King's corrupt counsellors and marched to London to bring this to the King's attention.

However, An Gof and Flamank were deemed to be traitors, and were hanged, drawn and quartered with their heads displayed on pike-staffs on London Bridge.

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