Here Come the Pig Army!
For some, the pig may be viewed as an animal representing gluttony, greed and filth, a creature which in the modern world is often the target for ridicule and amusement. However for us, this fine specimen is a symbol of freedom, togetherness, local pride and strong mindedness, and one worth celebrating. Here is the story of how Chiddingly Parish Bonfire Society became known as the ‘Pig Army’!…
Our prominent ‘Pig Army’ chant and nickname can be traced back to the Society’s inaugural visit to Hastings Bonfire on Saturday 15th October 2022, and was first orchestrated by member Roz Bassford who was dressed in her First Pioneer ‘Pig Woman’ attire as Chiddingly members during the grand torchlit procession greeted Roz with her customary camera in hand along the seafront ready to snap this joyful band of Chiddingly folk. ‘Pig Woman!!!’ the members stridently addressed Roz - ‘Pig Army!!!’ was her response. For the remainder of the outmeeting, through the ancient and atmospheric streets of Hastings’ Old Town, a projecting chant of “Who are we?! - Pig Army!!!” could be heard by the overlooking crowds above, proudly exclaimed by Chiddingly’s finest, echoing from the grand timbered buildings either side of these historic narrow coastal thoroughfares, as the public masses responded back with great vigor!
Our prominent ‘Pig Army’ chant and nickname can be traced back to the Society’s inaugural visit to Hastings Bonfire on Saturday 15th October 2022, and was first orchestrated by member Roz Bassford who was dressed in her First Pioneer ‘Pig Woman’ attire as Chiddingly members during the grand torchlit procession greeted Roz with her customary camera in hand along the seafront ready to snap this joyful band of Chiddingly folk. ‘Pig Woman!!!’ the members stridently addressed Roz - ‘Pig Army!!!’ was her response. For the remainder of the outmeeting, through the ancient and atmospheric streets of Hastings’ Old Town, a projecting chant of “Who are we?! - Pig Army!!!” could be heard by the overlooking crowds above, proudly exclaimed by Chiddingly’s finest, echoing from the grand timbered buildings either side of these historic narrow coastal thoroughfares, as the public masses responded back with great vigor!
- Chiddingly Parish Bonfire Society at Hastings Borough Bonfire in 2022 - the birth of the 'Pig Army', photo by Roz Bassford
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This, all amongst a scene of red flare smoke and a wild sow’s head on a stick within the Chiddingly ranks - known affectionately as ‘Piggy Sue’. A sensation was born - the Pig Army! This eventually became a simple chant of just ‘Pig Army!’.
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- 'Piggy Sue' at Hastings Borough Bonfire
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From the Society’s foundation in the October of 2020, the Society has used as a wild pig as its emblem - a boar. This is the ‘Chiddingly Boar’ - a 1480s silver livery badge lost or discarded by an esteemed supporter of the Yorkist, King Richard III, and later found in the Parish of Chiddingly in 1999. The badge is now kept in the British Museum. Most livery badges were made of cheap bronze or pewter, however as the ‘Chiddingly Boar’ is silver, was probably a gift to an important nobleman! Richard’s motto ‘Loyaulté me lie!’ was also adopted by the Society from its inception. Old French for ‘Loyalty binds me’ - this motto asserts that members of Chiddingly Parish are good to one another and work collectively for a common cause! - An ethos that we hold so dear.
- The 'Chiddingly Boar', the 15th Century livery badge found in Chiddingly in 1999 and now kept at the British Museum
Unlike the original boar of Richard III, the boar on the Society’s emblem is shown in a laying down pose - or ‘couchant’ in heraldic terminology. A pig shown at rest is a symbol long associated with the common folk of the County of Sussex and has for centuries been used as a pictorial representation of the county’s motto ‘We Wunt be Druv’! - Sussex dialect meaning ‘We won’t be driven’, affirming that the people of Sussex have their own mind and cannot be forced against their will or told what to do. - maintaining and protecting local customs and values for example, such as the treasured Sussex Bonfire tradition. Hence, this proverb can be widely found at any bonfire celebration within the county, acting as a caution to those who may wish to thwart our ways that we hold so dear!
- The original C.P.B.S. banner - with boar in a 'couchant' pose
Selmeston’s Reverend Douglas Parish’s ‘A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect’, published in 1875 by states that "I wunt be druv" is a "favourite maxim with Sussex people". It is believed that "I wunt be druv" originates from the Weald of Sussex where in medieval times this part of Sussex was freer from control from the ruling classes than other parts of Sussex. This came to fruition in the Peasant's Revolts of 1381 and 1450 where the Wealdsmen lower classes rose twice in revolt against the ruling Kings. Considering a swine’s classic temperament as being ‘stubborn as a pig’ or ‘pig headed’ it is easy to understand how a pig became proudly synonymous with this beloved local phrase.
- A 'Sussex Pig', drawn by heraldic painter and local historian Henry Hollebon of Eastbourne in 1941, complete with the motto "I wunt be druv".
The connection between pigs and being ‘druv’ enjoys a well established and evidenced pedigree. Indeed, conventionally, the collective noun for a group of pigs is a ‘drove’. One such early example of this can be located within ‘The New Bath Guide’, published in 1762, a swineherd in ‘Cainſham’ - Keynsham, Somerset, is described as a ‘drove of pigs’.
However this 'company term' is markedly much older than the mid 18th Century, and can be traced all the way back to the late 15th Century - coincidentally the year following the death of Richard III. ‘Boke of Seynt Albans’ (The Book of Saint Albans), published in 1486, is the main original source of many collective nouns - many of which are still in use today! These are listed inside the book's ‘Hunting’ section, written by Dame Juliana Berners. Within the chapter, she sets out many groupings of animals and articles, including “a Gagle of gees”, “a Pride of Lionys”, and “fflocke of Shepe”. We also find a record for domesticated pigs amongst the catalogue; “a Dryft of tame Swyne”. The word ‘dryft’ is a Middle English term derived from the Old English ‘drift’ meaning ‘to be driven’ - thus highlighting the longstanding link between hogs being ‘druv’, or not (!) as the case may be.
However this 'company term' is markedly much older than the mid 18th Century, and can be traced all the way back to the late 15th Century - coincidentally the year following the death of Richard III. ‘Boke of Seynt Albans’ (The Book of Saint Albans), published in 1486, is the main original source of many collective nouns - many of which are still in use today! These are listed inside the book's ‘Hunting’ section, written by Dame Juliana Berners. Within the chapter, she sets out many groupings of animals and articles, including “a Gagle of gees”, “a Pride of Lionys”, and “fflocke of Shepe”. We also find a record for domesticated pigs amongst the catalogue; “a Dryft of tame Swyne”. The word ‘dryft’ is a Middle English term derived from the Old English ‘drift’ meaning ‘to be driven’ - thus highlighting the longstanding link between hogs being ‘druv’, or not (!) as the case may be.
It was also once traditional at country weddings in the county for a porcelain ‘Sussex Pig’ jug to be gifted to the bride and groom in the 19th Century, a time when it was customary for a bride’s father to give all the guests a “Hogshead” (old measure) of ale. The head ‘lid’ to the jug served as a cup and the body of the pig served as a jug containing the ale to toast the happy couple, and again these ‘Sussex Pigs’ were inscribed along the beast’s back or shoulders with the phrase ‘We Wunt be Druv’, celebrating the character of men and women from Sussex as being pig-like.
- A 'Sussex Pig' jug - a traditional gift at country weddings in the county in the 19th Century
‘Highways and Byways in Sussex’ by Edward Verrall Lucas, published in 1904 states; “Some old satirist of the county had it that the crest of the true Sussex peasant is a pig couchant, with the motto "I wunt be druv."”. This is again repeated in ‘Kipling’s Sussex’, by Robert Thurston Hopkins, published in 1921, explains; “It has been said that the true crest of the Sussex men is a pig couchant, with the motto, " I wunt be druv," and we have all heard of the following couplet:
"You may push and you may shuv
But I'm ------ if I'll be druv."”
- Thus the Society adopted a boar in a laying down position, as a nod to the country folk of our parish’s heritage, and this history is again highlighted by our First Pioneer dress of Pre-1950s Agricultural Workers.
"You may push and you may shuv
But I'm ------ if I'll be druv."”
- Thus the Society adopted a boar in a laying down position, as a nod to the country folk of our parish’s heritage, and this history is again highlighted by our First Pioneer dress of Pre-1950s Agricultural Workers.
- 'Boutell's Heraldry' published in 1950, demonstrating four of many heraldic 'attitudes' for beasts including 'Couchant'
So there we are, we are unapologetically and proudly the Pig Army! - an animal which represents our local heritage in the form of a six-hundred year livery badge found in our village which once would have adorned the loyal noble of a King whose motto inspires our collective spirit, and the same creature which has encapsulated the nature of the people of our home since time immemorial – it is a part of who we are, our identity - we wunt be druv (!), and we are as happy as a pig in s**t!!!
