The Clangers
The Original
The Bedfordshire Clanger is an old tradition from the English county of Bedfordshire.
It is a food that was originally made for the farm workers to take to the fields, as a whole meal in one. It was made from the left-overs from the previous night’s meal and wrapped in a suet crust dumpling. The meat was in one side, the sweet in the other, originally with no real separation between the two.
Gunns Bakery, producers of all things tasty in bread and cakes in Sandy (east Beds) since 1928, have made Clangers for much of that time and are still doing so today.
It is a food that was originally made for the farm workers to take to the fields, as a whole meal in one. It was made from the left-overs from the previous night’s meal and wrapped in a suet crust dumpling. The meat was in one side, the sweet in the other, originally with no real separation between the two.
Gunns Bakery, producers of all things tasty in bread and cakes in Sandy (east Beds) since 1928, have made Clangers for much of that time and are still doing so today.
There is only one original Bedfordshire Clanger, but its legend has inspired many others.
A Song
The Bedfordshire Clanger song was written by Life and Times’ Graeme Meek & Barry Goodman in 1986. It was part of a series of songs relating the history, legends and customs of Bedfordshire.
Suitably light-hearted, the song emphasises the shock the consumer might receive when eating the centre portion - where the meat meets the jam! |
A Beer
The Bedfordshire Clanger Beer is brewed by Banks & Taylor Brewery in Shefford. The brewery produces seasonal craft beers that celebrate local traditions and historical events. The Bedfordshire Clanger is brewed in January - a dry clean tasting beer, double hopped to taste like beer used to!
|
A Dance
The Bedfordshire Clanger morris dance is performed by the Redbornstoke Morris. The dance is part of their “tradition” of Ampthill series, inspired by the team’s home town of Ampthill. Created in the early 1990s by Taz Tarry, it as a variation of a dance tradition originally from the Cotswolds.
|
A Short Story
It is a short story written by H.E. Bates. Written circa 1949 and featuring in the collection of humorous short stories "Sugar for the Horse". In the story Uncle Silas describes how he lays out Miss Tutts with a Bedfordshire clanger, a 'Sort o' pudden. Suet. Hard as a hog's back.'
|
A Newspaper
The Bedfordshire Clanger Magazine: Dave Brown created the original printed magazine and called it The Bedfordshire Clanger, as he thought it an iconic title. Unfortunately, an old lady picked it up, thinking it was a recipe book!
|
A Newsletter
The Bedfordshire Association of Church Bell Ringers, formed in 1882. started the newsletter, "The Bedfordshire Clanger" in 1986 - the name chosen purely for the obvious play on words!
|
A Film
A humorous short film about a disillusioned cyclist on a charity bike ride.
A Bedfordshire Clanger is a pasty with meat at one end and a sweet at the other, this is the story of what happens in-between.
A Bedfordshire Clanger is a pasty with meat at one end and a sweet at the other, this is the story of what happens in-between.
Also did you know...
The bit inside the bell is called a clanger.
Allegedly, the inner cog of a bike wheel is called a clanger.
To drop a clanger = to make a faux pas.
A clanger refers to a turnover or a mistake made by a player in Australian rules football.
To our knowledge, the classic children’s TV programme The Clangers, has no connection to the Bedfordshire Clanger - unless you know any different.
If you are or have heard of any other Clangers, Bedfordshire or otherwise, please let us know...
Allegedly, the inner cog of a bike wheel is called a clanger.
To drop a clanger = to make a faux pas.
A clanger refers to a turnover or a mistake made by a player in Australian rules football.
To our knowledge, the classic children’s TV programme The Clangers, has no connection to the Bedfordshire Clanger - unless you know any different.
If you are or have heard of any other Clangers, Bedfordshire or otherwise, please let us know...