...........Plough Monday and apologies again as this is yet another repeated subject - as I said the other day - there's a shortage of things to write about in January!
The first Monday after Twelfth Night was the day the agricultural year started, but before they began their hard work, the plough men and boys took the opportunity to have a bit of fun by dressing up, blacking up, and processing around the village to perform a plough play and hopefully be given some money. The plough was often blessed in the church on the Sunday before which became Plough Sunday.
A corn dolly, made from the last stalks of the previous harvest would have been placed in the first furrow made on Plough Monday and turned into the earth - an offering to the goddess of the corn in hope for a good years growing ahead.
It was this time last year that I discovered that the tradition of blessing the plough carries on here at the village church. Followed by Morris Dancers and a procession. I walked up the road to see the procession but they were late coming out of the church and it was too cold to hang around.
Not so cold this year so I tried again and left it a bit later and still had to walk up and down and around for 15 minutes before at last they appeared out of the church.
The procession went around the village ending up outside the pub where the Morris side danced although by then I was home because I wanted to make a cheese and vegetable quiche for this weeks meals. Have to get my priorities right!
Seeing Morris dancers is a higher probability in Britain than here. Thanks for the excursion and hanging about.
ReplyDeleteThere are still several Morris sides around about - they are usually lookingfor younger people to carry on
DeleteMuch needed colour at this time of year
ReplyDeleteNot much colour in my garden - need to do some tidying
DeleteFarming carries some nice traditions in your community. Hopefully, it will be a good growing season for the farmers. Locally grown produce is always greatly appreciated and so much tastier than large chain grocery store produce. If I had a farm nearby, I'd buy all that I needed from them.
ReplyDeleteOnce it employed most of the people in the village - now 1 man can do it all
DeleteI never saw Morris dancing growing up in North Yorkshires. I wonder if it's a regional thing? I'm glad plough Monday is still observed, plough Sunday, too. And that they still plough the corn dolly into the first furrow. Ancient pagan ritual approved by the church's blessing!
ReplyDeleteI think they are countrywide but popularity comes and goes
DeleteVery interesting fun they still do it.
ReplyDeleteCathy
The only church I know that does
DeleteHow lovely to be able to watch it. Back when I was a child there seemed to be more Morris Dancers around. It's so interesting to watch!
ReplyDeleteI googled and there are still several Morris sides in Suffolk but don't see them often
DeleteI love the tradition of the corn dolly. I think it was carried here to Canada with early settlers ( but not now, any longer). - Jenn
ReplyDeleteI doubt it's done here anymore either - 1 man high up in his heated tractor does the work easily now
DeleteI enjoy reading about the old traditions in your part of the world. There are so many, and so many of them are kept. I love that.
ReplyDeleteThey are continued in some places - thankfully but lost in others
DeleteAs a child, I loved it when the Morris men arrived in the village, it was a true celebration.
ReplyDeleteI used to see them at Country Shows when we were children but it's good to see they are still going
DeleteBy tradition I think I'm supposed to be making cottage pie for our meal today, however there are enough roast beef leftovers for us so no need today. And today is wet and very windy, certainly not a day to go ploughing! x
ReplyDeleteAround here the ploughing is done straight after harvest - no fields left fallow anymore - everywhere is sticky mud now
DeleteSo glad that this custom is still followed. Like in Wales, some of the old traditions still cling on. Love Morris Dancers and must try and get to the Folk Festival at Bromyard in September.
ReplyDeleteThey always seem to be having great fun.
DeleteThe men on Sunday all looked a bit ancient for dancing!
No need to see it as a repeated subject Sue, more an annual reminder and acknowledgement of established traditions.
ReplyDeleteDon't want to bore my readers too much!
DeleteI enjoy reading about these traditional activities - don't mind that it's a repeat
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Thank you
DeleteI was interested in what you wrote abut the corn doll, when I lived on a farm in Kent and I was about 7 or 8 one of the men—a younger man—that worked on the farm handed me a very neat very tightly plaited corn “stick” I think the top was the sheaf of the pieces of corn. I do remember being too shy to ask him about it but also being totally amazed at his skill in the tight plaiting and as he seemed to be a modern young man the clearly rural skill was at odds with what I had known about him.
ReplyDeleteMaking corn dollies of various shapes is another almost lost craft
DeleteWhy didn't you attend the blessing of the plough service instead of waiting outside?
ReplyDeleteGood grief - the Church is so high church and almost catholic and I grew up going to baptist and then methodist - I would be totally lost in the church service and anyway it started at 9.30 - and didn't finish until 11.15 and I'm not that keen!
DeleteThose men look pretty old - I wonder if the tradition will die out with them.
ReplyDeleteI think all Morris Dancing sides are always looking for new young members
DeleteThey look a lovely colourful bunch. I think I would have snuck in the back of the church while I waited and watched the end of the service.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely got your priorities right, I hope the quiche turned out well.
I love how you got your priorities right-a woman after my own heart. Catriona
ReplyDeleteMany moons ago I used to share a house with people who were Morris Dancers - it put me off the idea.
ReplyDeleteThat chap with the incense looks like he is wearing clown shoes…The size of his feet.
Interesting glimpse of history. I loved your photos of Morris Dancers last year or the year before. This is something not done here on the Canadian prairies.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.