A 750-year-old tradition was upheld in Watchet when the town’s Court Leet held its annual meeting and goose dinner.

Bell man David Milton called ‘jurors’, or members, to assemble at noon in the Bell Inn, where the court was presided over by president Toby Dunn, representing the Wyndham Estate, by virtue of its ownership of historic lands in Watchet on the Portreeve list.

The Court Leet, which dates to 1273, was once responsible for the town’s administration and enforcing law and order, but now serves as a ceremonial body, convening annually on the last Thursday of October.

Bailiff Mike Champion opened the meeting with a minute’s silence in memory of Dudley Binding, the deputy bailiff and recorder, who died in March.

Foreman of the jury Bob Hornby then took the oath and signed the presentment, followed by the other jurors.

As tradition dictates, the president read entries from a 100-year-old book of minutes, this year from the meeting of October 21, 1924.

Among those present at the 1924 meeting was Simon Nicholas, grandfather of current member Jim Nicholas.

The Court Leet made its appointments for the coming year, including:

Tony Knight then presented an entertaining report of Watchet’s events over the past year.

After the traditional goose dinner, toasts were made in honour of the King and the Wyndham Estate.

Jane Sharp, from Watchet Hedgehog Group, gave a talk on protecting and caring for the town’s declining hedgehog population.

The group was founded in 2020 to offer advice and raise awareness of the importance of hedgehogs, and to educate young people on the importance of native species.

More information can be found at www.watchethedgehogs.org.

Plans are already underway for the 2025 Court Leet ale tasting ceremony, scheduled for the late May Bank Holiday weekend.