Commemorating An Gof Day

Today (27^th June), Bude-Stratton Town Council is proudly flying the St Piran’s flag to mark An Gof Day.

Michael Joseph, known as An Gof, (Cornish for ‘the smith’) was a blacksmith from St Keverne on the Lizard, west Cornwall. In 1497, An Gof, alongside Bodmin lawyer Thomas Flamank, led an army of 15,000 Cornishmen to protest against the closure of the Cornish Stannary Parliament and the taxes imposed by Henry VII. This march culminated in the Battle of Blackheath on 17th June 1497, where the outnumbered Cornish forces were defeated by the English Crown. Subsequently, An Gof and Flamank were captured and executed on 27th June 1497. An Gof famously declared at his execution that he would have “a name perpetual and fame permanent and immortal”.

The repercussions of this uprising were felt across Cornwall, with every parish fined for their involvement. Records from the local Blanchminster Trust show that the parish of Stratton paid a fine of 40 shillings in 1498.

An Gof Day serves as a reminder of Cornwall’s rich history and the enduring spirit of its people.