Sibford Scene Archive

At Christmas time many of us enjoy eating a mince pie or two – but have you ever thought about how these small, sweet treats became part of a Christmas tradition enjoyed during the Christmas season by many English-speaking peoples across the world?

The mince pie we enjoy today is a sweet pie of English origin filled with mincemeat, being a mixture of fruit, spices and suet. Its ingredients are traceable to the 13th century, when returning European Crusaders brought with them Middle Eastern recipes containing meats, fruits, and spices. These contained the Christian symbolism of representing the gifts delivered to Jesus by the Biblical Magi. These early mince pies were traditionally larger and made in an oblong or oval shape to resemble the crib or manger in which the Christ Child was laid. The pastry lid represented the swaddling clothes and sometimes carried a figure depicting the Christ Child.

The early mince pie was known by several names, including “mutton pie”, “shrid pie” – in Tudor times, and “Christmas pie”. Typically, its ingredients then were a mixture of minced meat, suet, a range of fruits, and spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Served around Christmas, this  savoury pie  was associated with supposed Catholic “idolatry”, and during the English Civil War was frowned on by the Puritan authorities. Nevertheless, the tradition of eating Christmas pies in December continued through to the Victorian era, although by then its recipe had become sweeter and its size markedly reduced from its once large oblong shape.

Writing in his memoir, John Anthony Oddie, grandson of Robert Oddie – headmaster of Sibford School, 1880–1906, remembers visiting Sibford as a young boy for their memorable family Christmas celebrations.  All the female members of the family had to bake and bring a batch of mince pies to the family gathering. His grandfather would then select one from each batch. Parting his beard and moustaches he would take a large bite from each and then announce one as the best mince pie for that year. Today, the mince pie made remains a popular sweet seasonal treat.

May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.

Maureen HIcks

On 14 January at 7pm in the Village Hall there will be an open forum to discuss renewables and further environmental improvements in the Sibfords. At this meeting, Tim Lunel, one of the founders of Hook Norton Low Carbon will talk about their success in developing an electric car club (open to members here), zero carbon housing and other initiatives. Of particular interest to us will be the proposed development of Energy Local North Oxfordshire – a renewables microgrid extending from Epwell to Hook Norton via the Sibfords which will allow small-scale generators of solar power to connect to others to create a sustainable low-cost power source at the local level.

Many Sibford residents are already involved in or considering their own plans to lower emissions and reduce cost, and the aim of the forum would be to encourage sharing of knowledge and experience and identify one or two projects of community interest which could be developed to general benefit in the short term.

Everyone is encouraged to attend – There is no formal organising body as yet, but volunteers are warmly welcome. If you have experience or ideas you would like to talk about or have questions or proposals on the agenda, please contact Jan Thompson ( janthompson50@hotmail.com 01295 788 751 ) or Stephen Gomersall ( sjgomersall@hotmail.com 01295 788 911 ).