The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies (FOCS) was formed in 1924, on the initiative of
Robert Morton Nance
Robert Morton Nance (1873–1959) was a British writer and leading authority on the Cornish language, a nautical archaeologist, and joint founder of the Old Cornwall Society.
Nance wrote many books and pamphlets on the Cornish language, incl ...
, with the objective of collecting and maintaining "all those ancient things that make the spirit of
Cornwall — its traditions, its old words and ways, and what remains to it of
its Celtic language and nationality". The motto of the federation—as written on their web site—is "", which translated into English is "Gather ye the fragments that are left, that nothing be lost". The motto in the OCS logo is the Cornish phrase ''
King Arthur is not dead''. The first Old Cornwall Society was established by Robert Morton Nance in
St Ives in 1920.
Summer events
The OCS celebrate the old Cornish tradition of
midsummer bonfires, normally held on 23 June each year. The hilltop bonfires that form a chain are currently held at
Kit Hill,
St Breock
St Breock ( kw, Nanssans) is a village and a civil parish in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The spelling St Breoke was also formerly in use.
Geography
St Breock village is 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Wadebridge immediately to the s ...
Beacon,
Castle An Dinas
Castle an Dinas is an Iron Age hillfort at the summit of Castle Downs near St Columb Major in Cornwall, UK () and is considered one of the most important hillforts in the southwest of Britain. It dates from around the 3rd to 2nd century BCE ...
, and
Redruth.
In the autumn the
harvest festival known as
Crying The Neck
Crying is the dropping of tears (or welling of tears in the eyes) in response to an emotional state, or pain. Emotions that can lead to crying include sadness, anger, and even happiness. The act of crying has been defined as "a complex secreto ...
is also celebrated by the OCS.
Periodical
''Old Cornwall'', the journal of the Federation, began publication in 1925 and is published twice yearly.
The first editor was
Robert Morton Nance
Robert Morton Nance (1873–1959) was a British writer and leading authority on the Cornish language, a nautical archaeologist, and joint founder of the Old Cornwall Society.
Nance wrote many books and pamphlets on the Cornish language, incl ...
.
See also
*
Gorseth Kernow
Gorsedh Kernow (Cornish Gorsedd) is a non-political Cornish organisation, based in Cornwall, United Kingdom, which exists to maintain the national Celtic spirit of Cornwall. It is based on the Welsh-based Gorsedd, which was founded by Iolo Morg ...
*
List of topics related to Cornwall
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Cornwall:
Cornwall – ceremonial county and unitary authority area of England within the United Kingdom. Cornwall is a peninsula bordered to the north and west by ...
References
External links
Main site of FOCS
South Australia's Kernewek Lowender (Cornish Festival)Cornish Association of Victoria, AustraliaCornish Association of Bendigo, Victoria, AustraliaLondon Cornish AssociationThe New Zealand Cornish Association Strange days: Fired by ancient zeal in Cornwall ''
The Daily Telegraph'' article on Midsummer bonfires
{{DEFAULTSORT:Federation Of Old Cornwall Societies
1924 establishments in England
Arts in Cornwall
Charities based in Cornwall
Clubs and societies in Cornwall
Cornish culture
Cornish nationalism
Heritage organisations in the United Kingdom
Organizations established in 1924