Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

You really have lost me with he goat bit?
I have been nothing but rational, please check the posts.
In the face of baiting, derision and baseless critique!

Personally i'd twat him, and whilst he lay there dazed i'd offer him advice on a wiser path for his future, only if he wished to avoid the pitfalls of his current line of "work" of course. ; 0

Precisely.
So refering to them as "them" is NOT pointless, as they will confirm.

Most Pagans are united in being opposed to littering (or, opposed to minority rights as foxhunters and litterers might say).

Well, that said, they did BUILD CHURCHES on lots of them, which seemed ok at the time...

"I'm not conversant with any" sorry I was under the misapprehension that you had already suggested that the harvest festival was one?

" and would really appreciate which ones are meant....because it would only be guesswork on my behalf" sardonic with just a hint of throwing down the gauntlet.
However I am surprised that one so erudite would need illumination, especially one who states "but I've always thought that the origins of Harvest Festival were derived from a seasonal sacrifice...glad to be proven wrong" after I had stated (I think we can consider innumerable 'ongoing' traditions regarding sacrifice and the seasons) admittedly I had seasons (not seasonal) and sacrifice in the obverse order. So no wonder you were perplexed!
don't worry I will come to the crux of the matter soon.

"We are talking about this country though...and I think, through reading your reply(feel free to correct me though)..that you are agreeing with me that the harvest festival might indeed be one of the oldest ongoing traditions" I do to some degree in terms of one of the oldest, 'one of' being the operable part! although I believe your exact words were "The Harvest Festival", although adopted by Christianity, is in fact a throwback to an older tradition...so quite possibly it is the oldest"ongoing" tradition"
slightly different emphasis and yet it makes all the difference, wouldn't you agree?
"one of the oldest" implies sharing it's antiquity with others!
where as "so quite possibly it is the oldest" implies it is older than the others, makes all the difference doesn't it?
get the gist?

"like I say..the others which spring to(my) mind would only be speculation"
Your original position was speculation also!
That is exactly the point! you are speculating that one transformed or reinterpreted rite has a greater degree of veracity and a more authentic provenance, and why? It would appear because it fits neatly into your prescription of rites and offerings at sites. vested interest? it would appear so!

"You could always start a new thread listing "The Oldest Ongoing UK Traditions"....I can think of 5 possibles...but it'd be interesting to see your list first so I can compare and contrast"
Again the transparent attempt at challenges, how can you compare and contrast when you have already said " and would really appreciate which ones are meant....because it would only be guesswork on my behalf" this was on the same page for goodness sake, unless of course you were deceiving me to try and exploit my response, bad boy.

"...and also to see what other readers think are suitable candidates for inclusion" Oh dear and we finish with the the school yard tactic of co-opting ones peers to bait..ever the sign of passive/aggressive and one that you have obviously no need to sell to a particular individual who pops up to snide (I would say he will be on next...but he just might avoid it now)

Now that has been dealt with back to the list, but of course we will have to accept that none of these are exclusively British. Of course you knew that!
Rites relating to water, offerings at sacred wells and springs.
Rites relating to Death, offerings for the dead and relating to rebirth (as I am sure you are aware the harvest festival is inextricably linked to these)
Rites relating to sacred areas whether geographical, mythical or to flora and fauna.
Of course the list goes on and on.
But of course the easiest course open to you now is to ask me to specify the particular rites.....so please do.
Go on ask me?

I wonder how the natives reacted at the time?...I'll bet they were secretly fuming at sites long held sacred to their ancestors,had a grand edifice planked on it....or would this have been deemed as an honour of sorts???....Then again(this is my own speculation mind...not a history) the promise of a new god taking over had the locals unsure of how to carry on worshipping to assure their place in the hereafter...or then again maybe they just quite willingly accepted a godhead(any godhead)as worship was ingrained in some form from living memory and legend....I'd imagine quite a few gods were tried and tested during early roman occupation...so the promise of one where poverty was the order of the day might have been very appealing...until the church(once established) started levying more taxes than the rulers.

you should see the parks and back lanes of Newcastle ...

You never answered Resonox, can I enquire why?

Christianity was forced on thousands and thousands of people the world over, not many of them over-the-moon about it either. But when its join us or get burned, most people suddenly find light in Jesus...