The scene that ended up in the movie was shot in Whithorn from Oct 24 to November 1.
See behind the scenes pics below (and here.)
The first group of children, seen in the movie.
Edward Woodward about being prepared, for shots not seen in the movie.
From Charlotte Bennie of the Whithorn History Facebook group (2/21/21) "Stars of the silver screen. A shot from cult classic, The Wicker Man. Director included our house because the lion door knocker added a pagan touch. My Mum didn’t know whether to be affronted or amused! "Edward Woodward and the kids used in the We carry death out of the village scene (or possibly the group that would have chanted We carry Summer in... which was cut out of the film. Editor - The we carry summer group...) right next door to the Whithorn Library.
Brown’s book (and both the Pitt and Shaffer scripts say):[]
“Logan Gardens - For sc. 73 (Children’s Chant) as there has been a 3 month long drought which has dried up the dyke it will be necessary to bring our own water. It will be necessary to circulate the water by means of a pump (fire engine?)..."
and
"The first version of this scene was shot at Logan on Oct 15, 1972 (Lord Summerisle’s long apple lecture was also shot on this day.) 12 children were planned for this scene. In addition to the doll floating down the river, they were to be carrying a puppet draped in white tied to a tree limb going down the High St. Howie asked them for directions to the public records office.
Brown’s book, pg 140, 141:
“Various scenes were shot involving Howie and a group of twelve small children:
Sc. 73 (Pitt and Shaffer scripts)
Suddenly a group of children march round the corner, bearing aloft a new tree-cutting to which is fastened another puppet clothed in white.
CHILDREN (singing)
We carry death out of the village.
We carry summer into the village.
The children sweep past Howie and head down the high street in pursuit of the floating puppet. Howie runs after them.
HOWIE
Just a moment, please.
The singing trails off.
HOWIE
I wonder if any of you kids could tell me where the public records office is?”
“The children look at each other blankly. Most shake their heads.
4TH CHILD
Over there.
The child points across the street, and then the group goes off singing as before.
None of those involved now remember why this scene was later reshot outside Whithorn Library and the version filmed at Logan Gardens junked; there would be little point in Howie asking directions to the library and public records office while standing directly outside it. Perhaps the crew had difficulties with the flowing water, or lack of it. Another deleted (or at least largely junked) scene was shot the same day; a long disquisition from Summerisle on the island’s variety of apples”
Excerpt From: Allan Brown. “Inside the Wicker Man.” iBooks.
The novel[]
Pgs 82-85 of the novel has them appear twice as well. Once before he goes to his plane to use the radio. They follow a baby that has been thrown in a river, chanting “we carry death out of the village.” When he sees them again they are holding a newer, more lifelike baby tied from a “young tree” and their chant has added, “we welcome summer in.”
The novel has it in this order:
Dr Ewan
kids - we carry death out of the village, by stream
to plane to use radio
kids - we carry death out, we carry summer in
library - to look up metamorphosis
The Golden Bough lists many traditions/variations of children carrying a doll and chanting, We carry death out of the village and Spring into the village...
The wiki timeline for what we know was actually done:[]
Oct 15 - Logan Gardens: The “We carry death…” The baby was supposed to be floating down a dyke but due to a drought, pumps had to be brought in. This scene was shot but not used. (Doesn't appear in Shaffer script. Is in Pitt script, scene 73.) Apple dialogue scene shot. Construction of the wicker man starts in Burrowhead. (Here is a shot of what was probably the stream the doll was to float down at Logan. No guarantees but it is very picturesque so it will do for now.)
Not sure that the carrying doll scene was shot on this date... if at all. The raunchy snail scene was shot on this day... (Fintan)
Details: Logan Gardens, EXT: experimental orchard, EXT back garden of "Green Man" Inn, completed: scenes 86, 49 B, partial: 85.
The Pitt script cast list has “A half dozen singing children”. I would assume they are the We Carry Death kids. There are people in a Scottish FB group (I Love Drummore), from the Drummore Primary School who were used to film that scene and have memories of it. See the cast list here for that info. Only half of them were used, the “We Carry Death OUT of the Village” set. The “We carry LIFE into the village” kids weren’t used. So that makes at least 12 who were bussed over from Drummore to shoot that. If they aren’t that, what are they?
Cast[]
The wiki cast list has:
Kids carrying "death" out of the village - Drummore Primary School kids were used for this. Two groups were made. Only one made it into the film. That group had: Kirsty McColm (Davidson) (holding the baby doll), Gerald McSkimming (behind her), maybe 10 altogether? (probably = Half a dozen singing village children*), possibly: Susan McClymount, Marie McColm, Fiona Stewart, Brian Beck, Matthew & Kerrow Caughie and Colin Downie ((Edward Beck, FB, 9/20/09) Bob Love, Beth Swain, Brian McCracken (FB, 5/26/20), Katrina Maxwell in back (Dianne Timms (FB 2/21/21)
The other group had: Fiona Downes, (more to come hopefully for each.) Also about 10 in it. They had the lines: "We carry life (or was it summer?) into the village."
Names to add:
Jenny Stewart-Ackroyd, Dianne Timms, Rab (Robert) Hughes, Alaistair Drummond, Wull Wood, Chris McIntyre, Sorcha MicUillein, John Conlan
Recollections from various people:[]
Betty M Beck[]
I don't know the reason the children were taken to Whithorn instead of Logan. They didn't do any filming with them at Logan.
Brian Beck was in it too!
The only connection I had was to take some of the children from Drummore School to Whithorn for them to do their short part there. They chanted "We are carrying death out of the Village" This was outside the Library and Edward Woodward was the only star in attendance.
Edward Beck[]
Hi, I'm from Drummore, and I remember my brother's class being used for the schoolkids "dancing death out of the village ". I think my mother, Betty M Beck can tell more!
Fiona Downes[]
As one of the extremely young participants, I think the plan was to shoot near Port Logan - which was the location for the home of Lord Summerisle. It was rumoured that they couldn't land the sea plane and decided to relocate a lot of the shoot to Whithorn. Thinking about it, I'm not sure where they planned to film us unless the laigh row was a possibility . Edward Woodward visited Port Logan and had afternoon tea at what is now Port Logan House. We were transported by various parents to Whithorn and split in 2 groups. Kirsty led one and I led the other . Clearly my group was rubbish as unlike Kirsty's group we were not included in the directors cut. I held a spring branch and we chanted " we are carrying life into the village." Kirsty's crew chanted "we are carrying death out of the village." - hence the creepy doll! We did get to meet the stars - Edward Woodward was particularly kind. Kirsty, Marie and I watched it together once and laughed till we cried at Kirsty in her wee kilt concentrating so hard she was like a wee drunk trying to do a straight line test! It is a great measure of how things have changed.
Sorry - just to clarify logan house was used as a location.
(I ask about a few things include group size)
Not sure about group sizes - it was a P1, P2 class - probs about 18 or 20. So 9 or 10 per group. Our head teacher at the time loved drama so I think jumped at the chance. I think the school got a donation of £50. Sadly she died in a car accident several years later. Not sure how clear it was that it was an 18! My parents certainly didn't know. Maybe Betty can remember if that was ever mentioned. My mum and dad were very close lipped after the screening! I'm a head teacher and don't think I'd get off with that now somehow!!
Some of the external shots with Christopher Lee were filmed at Logan House. I always wondered if the naked dance in the woods was at Logan but not sure. No memory of puppet and as i think most puppets are creepy I would have remembered. We just marched up and down the street.
Sorry - just to clarify logan house was used as a location.
It was all filmed from the library - don’t remember how far we went but not far - think they did a few takes. It is our secondary school reunion the weekend before May Day - but not sure if any other cast members are attending! If so - who knows!!!!
Have realised this is going on way too late. Yes we were there . I remember sitting on Edward Woodward's knee. He was lovely.
My parents were horrified by the film and as someone who is now in education it is quite refreshing that we could do this film without a major international court case. Watching Kirsty in her wee kilt chanting is just hilarious.
'm not in that line because we were "carrying life into the village". I was lead of that group but we were cut. You can hear us tho. What a surprise! Xx (We can hear them?)
1/23/23
I find pic from Shaun Mcg that shows the second group of children. I message Fiona. Her reply: "Well that's made my day. That is me with the twig . I haven't seen any of me so I'll be saving that one as evidence! I think the wee girl behind me is Diane o Neil then Susan Mc Clymont . Thanks for that. Edward in shot too !"
Wull Wood[]
Ted, some scenes from the Wicker man were definately filmed at the Isle of Whithorn. You are right with the names you gave, however I was there too. I can just about remember the day our class went through to do the filming. I think we must only have been primary 2 or 3. A whole days filming for a scene that lasted about three seconds. It caused uproar with the parents when the film was released, because no-one realised there was nudity etc in it. The only one really visible was Kirsty Mc Colm.
We were at the old school. I can't quite remember, but there is something sits in my mind that they wanted us to do the Maypole scene, but they deemed us to be too young and we were then given the death out of the village bit.
I don't remember any filming being done at Logan Botanic Gardens, but then again I was only six, so what would I know. 😂
All I remember of the whole day was that we were in like an old hotel and opposite was a small cafe. Not sure if that makes much sense. We ended up going in to the cafe at one point. But that's all I remember! 😜😜
The only other thing I remember from the whole day was that it was Morag's mum that drove me down. 😁
Brian McCracken[]
Edward this young lot were definitely there - I remember it well especially in the hall where all the costumes were. (Pic below.)
