BOLTON'S historic Ye Olde Man and Scythe pub, treated its customers to a 17th century feast of food and theatre on Saturday.

To remind local people of the pub's vibrant and long history landlord John Jewitt staged what he described as the "biggest event organised by a pub in Bolton" to commemorate the execution of the Seventh Earl of Derby.

The centre-piece of the theme day was a street theatre production called Crimson Cries the Croal, which re-created the events of 1661 when the earl's widow Lady Charlotte returned to Bolton 10 years after the execution.

The earl was reputed to have spent his last living hours inside the Man and Scythe before being taken out into Churchgate and executed.

To the delight of shoppers nearly 40 people took part in the street theatre production, including John, who played Captain Ogle, a character who John admits was not exactly historically accurate.

"Jean Rees, the playwright and director of the piece, made up the character because she says I spend all my time ogling women," laughed John.

Customers also enjoyed a banquet of traditional 17th century food. The menu was researched and devised by the pub's resident chef Tommy Heap.

Paul Cramer from the Civil War Society said: "It was the most authentic and tasty food I've ever had - and I've been to many banquets in my time."

Mouth-watering dishes included Bolton Hotpot, a stew of lamb chops with onions, mushrooms, potatoes, kidneys and fresh oysters, plus collops of venison in cider sauce, smothered rabbit, devilled chicken, mustard eggs, glazed ham, and collops of beef with horse radish sauce.

"The food went down so well we've decided to put a 17th century dish on every lunchtime," said John, who has only been at the pub for three months.

"In the future we will be researching 13th century food because the pub was founded in 1251. The plan is to put dishes from this century on the menu along with foods from the 17th century."

The commemoration, was he says, an overwhelming success.

"More than 100 people joined the banquet and we were busy all day. Thanks to the success of this event I am now planning to do similar events in the future."

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