Grith Fyrd
Encyclopedia
Grith Fyrd was a radical alternative educational movement in England
during the 1930s. It created two permanent work camps, one at Godshill in Hampshire
and the other at Shining Cliff in Derbyshire
, which took in unemployed men and tried to use them as a basis for creating a land-based community.
Grith Fyrd (the name means 'Peace Army' in Old English
) was launched after a series of lectures in 1931. Its founders belonged to the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry, a shadowy English group influenced by the thinking of Ernest Thompson Seton
's Woodcraft Indians
(later renamed the Woodcraft League of America), whose most lasting creation was the Woodcraft Folk
. The movement's outlook represented a mixture of socialism
, co-operativism, eugenics
and anti-urbanism. It was strongly internationalist
, but had particularly close contacts with the German
youth movement
. The Order's main practical aim was to create an outdoor movement that would allow boys, girls, men and women to work and learn together.
In the early 1930s, the Order launched Grith Fyrd to combat the "three evils of the day: monstrous labour, with its occasional relief by quick, aimless excitement; the state of passivity and absorption; the loss of the incentive of self-expression and creativeness". Two Grith Fyrd camps were opened in 1932 at Godshill in Hampshire, and in 1933 at Shining Cliff in Derbyshire. The camps were intended to form part of a self-sufficient community that would exchange goods and services with one another, and combat the decadence of contemporary society by training young men for self-reliance, communal living and service.
The Grith Fyrd campers - or Pioneers - were a mixture of young unemployed men, who were able to continue to draw benefit, and idealists who mostly came from middle class backgrounds. The Pioneers built the camp buildings and furniture themselves, and produced their own food. Aldous Huxley
wrote in the Sunday Chronicle that the Godshill camp was "almost a replica of an American backwoods settlement of a century ago". For Huxley, the primitive conditions were an admirable counterblow against the standardisation of modern urban, industrial society. He also admired the leisure activities of the men - Morris dancing
, wood-carving, folk-singing
and adult education.
Grith Fyrd was never a large movement. The camps were relatively small in scale, with between 30 and 50 inmates apiece. It had effectively died out as a living experiment by the late 1930s, though a handful of veterans gathered in the late 1940s to plan the Braziers Park
community - essentially a residential adult college which functioned on communitarian lines, and was the childhood home of the singer Marianne Faithfull
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during the 1930s. It created two permanent work camps, one at Godshill in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and the other at Shining Cliff in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, which took in unemployed men and tried to use them as a basis for creating a land-based community.
Grith Fyrd (the name means 'Peace Army' in Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
) was launched after a series of lectures in 1931. Its founders belonged to the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry, a shadowy English group influenced by the thinking of Ernest Thompson Seton
Ernest Thompson Seton
Ernest Thompson Seton was a Scots-Canadian who became a noted author, wildlife artist, founder of the Woodcraft Indians, and one of the founding pioneers of the Boy Scouts of America . Seton also influenced Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting...
's Woodcraft Indians
Woodcraft Indians
The League of Woodcraft Indians was an American youth program, established by Ernest Thompson Seton. Despite the name, it was developed for non-Indian boys. It was later renamed the "Woodcraft League of America", and would also allow girls to join...
(later renamed the Woodcraft League of America), whose most lasting creation was the Woodcraft Folk
The Woodcraft Folk
The Woodcraft Folk is a UK-based educational movement for children and young people, and registered charity no. 1073665. The constitutional object of this youth organisation is "to educate and empower young people to be able to participate actively in society, improving their lives and others'...
. The movement's outlook represented a mixture of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, co-operativism, eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
and anti-urbanism. It was strongly internationalist
Internationalism (politics)
Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation among nations for the theoretical benefit of all...
, but had particularly close contacts with the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
youth movement
Wandervogel
Wandervogel is the name adopted by a popular movement of German youth groups from 1896 onward. The name can be translated as rambling, hiking or wandering bird and the ethos is to shake off the restrictions of society and get back to nature and freedom...
. The Order's main practical aim was to create an outdoor movement that would allow boys, girls, men and women to work and learn together.
In the early 1930s, the Order launched Grith Fyrd to combat the "three evils of the day: monstrous labour, with its occasional relief by quick, aimless excitement; the state of passivity and absorption; the loss of the incentive of self-expression and creativeness". Two Grith Fyrd camps were opened in 1932 at Godshill in Hampshire, and in 1933 at Shining Cliff in Derbyshire. The camps were intended to form part of a self-sufficient community that would exchange goods and services with one another, and combat the decadence of contemporary society by training young men for self-reliance, communal living and service.
The Grith Fyrd campers - or Pioneers - were a mixture of young unemployed men, who were able to continue to draw benefit, and idealists who mostly came from middle class backgrounds. The Pioneers built the camp buildings and furniture themselves, and produced their own food. Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
wrote in the Sunday Chronicle that the Godshill camp was "almost a replica of an American backwoods settlement of a century ago". For Huxley, the primitive conditions were an admirable counterblow against the standardisation of modern urban, industrial society. He also admired the leisure activities of the men - Morris dancing
Morris dance
Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
, wood-carving, folk-singing
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and adult education.
Grith Fyrd was never a large movement. The camps were relatively small in scale, with between 30 and 50 inmates apiece. It had effectively died out as a living experiment by the late 1930s, though a handful of veterans gathered in the late 1940s to plan the Braziers Park
Braziers Park
Braziers Park is a country house and Grade II* listed building located near Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England. The house is owned and operated by a charitable trust as a residential adult education college, and centre for the School of Integrative Social Research.-History:Braziers Park was built in...
community - essentially a residential adult college which functioned on communitarian lines, and was the childhood home of the singer Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
.