FAQ The Canton of the Towers is the oldest canton in continual existence in the SCA. Its start is recorded in the Carolingian archives: 12/19/70: From: Lady Valerie Ithildin; To: ???; re: Barony of the Two Towers. 1/20/71: From Daniel de Tankard, Seneschal, Barony of Carolingia; To: Milady; re: why not become a Canton? 1/27/71: From: Lady Valerie Ithildin; To: Daniel de Tankard; re: offer accepted. 2/2/71: From: Diana?; To: Lady Valerie Ithildin; re: misc., including suggested name change to "Towers". And from Triumph (the Carolingian newsletter at the time), January/February 1971, volume II issue 3, page 3: CANTON IN WAKEFIELD In December our Seneschal, Daniel de Tankard, was contacted by a gathering of ladies from Wakefield, Massachusetts who would like to establish a branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism under the auspices of our Barony. The Canton in Wakefield is headed by Lady Valerie Ithildin and is made up of pre-college people. It is also made up, at present exclusively of women. Liberation notwithstanding, a maiden- Canton lacks strength and probability for permanency. Suggestions for recruiting men are urgently needed. All such suggestions should be sent to Daniel de Tankard, Seneschal, [address] (XXX-XXXX), who will forward them to Lady Valerie. The device (and possibly the name?) was registered in August of 1979 (an earlier version had a gold background and towers): Argent, a tyger dormant azure within a laurel wreath proper, on a canton azure, two towers in bend sinister argent. The badge was registered in February of 1985: Azure, two towers palewise in bend sinister argent. The "towers" of the Canton are off I-93. The first is still quite visible if you're travelling northbound. Look to the west at the exit for Rte. 28 and the Fellsway for a square tower of undressed stones. The second is mostly hidden by fir trees, but you can see a flag flying from the top. Look at the top of the hill just past the exit for the Stone Zoo when travelling southbound. We have a sister canton called "Marche Three Towers" in the Barony of Middle Marches in the Middle Kingdom, which was started in 1992. From their website: "When our group first started and decided on the name "Marche Three Towers" we were advised that it conflicted with a Canton from Carolingia. Instead of doing the simple thing and finding a new name, we thought we would contact this group and ask for permission to conflict. After discussing it, their seneschal wrote us a letter stating that we could use the name on the condition that we would offer a "Quick Rent" each year, and in so we might become friends. So now, each year at Pennsic, members of our two groups gather together in friendship and share bread and salt. We both encourage other groups to form inter-kingdom relationships with other groups." There was another "proto-incipient shire" called the Canton of Burning Towers, also in Middle Marches, in late 1997 and early 1998, but it seems to have disappeared. There was also a Canton of Ivory Tower at Swarthmore in the Barony of Bhakail that died in the spring of 1978. In December, 1989, the name was formally released. The Barony of Angels in Caid claims to have had the first canton in the SCA. The dates look later than the founding of Towers, but it's hard to tell when Towers was officially recognized. From the History page of the Barony of Angels in Caid: "Canton of Naess - The name harkens to Loch Ness. They were established in February 1972 and disbanded prior to July 1975. They have the distinction of being the first Canton in the SCA." Some things the Canton of the Towers is/was known for: First Cloved Fruit (also here) The East Kingdom Songbook Weresheep Legends of Chivalry Events

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last modified on March 13, 2002