Castleton Garland Day or Garland King Day is held annually on 29 May (unless that date falls on a Sunday, when the custom is transferred to the Saturday) in the town of Castleton in the DerbyshirePeak District. The Garland King, on horseback, and covered to the waist in a heavy, bell-shaped floral garland, leads a procession through the town.[1]
The date of the custom coincides with Oak Apple Day and it is said to commemorate the restoration of King Charles II in 1660. By the 1960s, it had become received wisdom that the celebration was a remnant of a more ancient form of nature worship, and in 1977 one folklorist—whom Georgina Boyes describes as "a Celticist with a vivid line in descriptive prose..."—declared it to be based on a much older rite of human sacrifice.[2][3] When this was reported in the national media, it attracted the attention of sceptical academics.[3]
Boyes' subsequent extensive research of local records demonstrated that the "ancient" custom was no older than the late 18th—early 19th century, and had grown out of the village's ecclesiastical rushbearing festival.[4] The bellringers of the festival had first been replaced in 1897 by morris men, and then—as the day increasingly became a tourist attraction—by "schoolgirls in white" and participants "in historical costumes" to "prettify" the event.[5] The Maypole was first used in the festival in 1916.[5] This "acceptable piece of 'folk' pageantry" became the new custom, and remained so throughout the 20th and 21st century, with the only change being the use of a female to play the Lady, instead of a male in "drag", from the late 1950s onwards.[6]
The customedit
Starting from midday, most of the afternoon is taken up with the construction of the Garland, a roughly bell- or beehive-shaped wooden framework to which are tied bunches of garden flowers. Once it is finished, a small posy named "The Queen", made of particularly fine flowers tied around a short stick, is inserted as a topknot into the top of the garland.[2]
In the late afternoon the Garland King and his female consort (confusingly, sometimes mistakenly referred to as "The Queen", but formerly simply "The Lady"), dressed in Stuart costume, mount their horses. The Garland, which is said to weigh between 56 and 60 lb (25 and 27 kg)[1][2] is placed over the King's head and shoulders; only his legs are visible beneath it. The dance starts at one of the village's pubs (the starting point is chosen on rotation). The riders and Castleton Silver Band then lead an evening procession around the town, stopping at various points, including all the pubs. Young schoolgirls dressed in white, with flowers, carrying small "maypoles" (known as "Garland sticks") twined with ribbons, follow behind; they dance a form of morris dance at each stopping-place.[2]
When the circuit of the village is complete, the King rides up to the churchyard gates, where the Queen (posy) is removed from the top of the Garland. It is kept on one side to be placed on the village's war memorial. The King rides to the foot of the tower of St Edmund's church where all the pinnacles but one have been decorated with oak leaf branches. A long rope is hung down and tied to the Garland, which is hoisted up the side of the tower and then impaled on the central pinnacle. It remains there for several days until the flowers have wilted. Formerly it was left to fall apart completely.[2]
The day concludes with maypole dancing in the Market Place and the ceremonial placing of the Queen posy on the war memorial. Then the residents of the village follow the band back through the village dancing the "Criss-Cross."
^ ab. Derbyshire UK. 2001. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010 – via Wayback Machine.
^ abcdeHole, Christina (1978), A Dictionary of British Folk Customs, Paladin Granada, pp. 114–115, ISBN978-0-586-08293-5
^ abBoyes, Georgina (1988), "Cultural Survivals Theory and Traditional Customs", Folk Life, 26: 9, doi:10.1179/043087787798239486
^Boyes, Georgina (1993), "Dressing in the past: The role of costume as an indicator of social dynamics in the Castleton garland ceremony", in Buckland, Theresa; Wood, Juliette (eds.), Aspects of British Calendar Customs, Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, pp. 105–118, ISBN978-1850752431
Boyes, Georgina (2010), The Imagined Village: Culture, Ideology & the English Folk Revival (2nd Revised ed.), No Masters Co-Operative, ISBN978-0-956-62270-9
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castleton Garland Day.
Derbyshire and the Peak District Photographs (Garland Day 2007)
Castleton Garland official website
March 14, 2024
castleton, garland, garland, king, held, annually, unless, that, date, falls, sunday, when, custom, transferred, saturday, town, castleton, derbyshire, peak, district, garland, king, horseback, covered, waist, heavy, bell, shaped, floral, garland, leads, proce. Castleton Garland Day or Garland King Day is held annually on 29 May unless that date falls on a Sunday when the custom is transferred to the Saturday in the town of Castleton in the Derbyshire Peak District The Garland King on horseback and covered to the waist in a heavy bell shaped floral garland leads a procession through the town 1 Garland DayThe Garland King and his consort c 1976 TypeLocalDate29 MayNext time29 May 2024 2024 05 29 FrequencyannualRelated toMay Day Rushbearing Beating the bounds Oak Apple Day Contents 1 Origins 2 The custom 3 Gallery c 1976 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksOrigins editThe date of the custom coincides with Oak Apple Day and it is said to commemorate the restoration of King Charles II in 1660 By the 1960s it had become received wisdom that the celebration was a remnant of a more ancient form of nature worship and in 1977 one folklorist whom Georgina Boyes describes as a Celticist with a vivid line in descriptive prose declared it to be based on a much older rite of human sacrifice 2 3 When this was reported in the national media it attracted the attention of sceptical academics 3 Boyes subsequent extensive research of local records demonstrated that the ancient custom was no older than the late 18th early 19th century and had grown out of the village s ecclesiastical rushbearing festival 4 The bellringers of the festival had first been replaced in 1897 by morris men and then as the day increasingly became a tourist attraction by schoolgirls in white and participants in historical costumes to prettify the event 5 The Maypole was first used in the festival in 1916 5 This acceptable piece of folk pageantry became the new custom and remained so throughout the 20th and 21st century with the only change being the use of a female to play the Lady instead of a male in drag from the late 1950s onwards 6 The custom editStarting from midday most of the afternoon is taken up with the construction of the Garland a roughly bell or beehive shaped wooden framework to which are tied bunches of garden flowers Once it is finished a small posy named The Queen made of particularly fine flowers tied around a short stick is inserted as a topknot into the top of the garland 2 In the late afternoon the Garland King and his female consort confusingly sometimes mistakenly referred to as The Queen but formerly simply The Lady dressed in Stuart costume mount their horses The Garland which is said to weigh between 56 and 60 lb 25 and 27 kg 1 2 is placed over the King s head and shoulders only his legs are visible beneath it The dance starts at one of the village s pubs the starting point is chosen on rotation The riders and Castleton Silver Band then lead an evening procession around the town stopping at various points including all the pubs Young schoolgirls dressed in white with flowers carrying small maypoles known as Garland sticks twined with ribbons follow behind they dance a form of morris dance at each stopping place 2 When the circuit of the village is complete the King rides up to the churchyard gates where the Queen posy is removed from the top of the Garland It is kept on one side to be placed on the village s war memorial The King rides to the foot of the tower of St Edmund s church where all the pinnacles but one have been decorated with oak leaf branches A long rope is hung down and tied to the Garland which is hoisted up the side of the tower and then impaled on the central pinnacle It remains there for several days until the flowers have wilted Formerly it was left to fall apart completely 2 The day concludes with maypole dancing in the Market Place and the ceremonial placing of the Queen posy on the war memorial Then the residents of the village follow the band back through the village dancing the Criss Cross Gallery c 1976 edit nbsp Constructing the garland nbsp The finished garland nbsp Garland with Queen posy nbsp The King in costume nbsp Dancing outside a pub nbsp Dancers in procession nbsp Procession approaching churchyard gates nbsp Removing the Queen nbsp Garland on St Edmund s church tower nbsp Garland on pinnacle castle in distance See also editJack in the green Bodmin Riding Beating the bounds May Day Abbotsbury Garland DayReferences edit a b Derbyshire and Peak District Customs Castleton Garland Day Derbyshire UK 2001 Archived from the original on 24 November 2010 via Wayback Machine a b c d e Hole Christina 1978 A Dictionary of British Folk Customs Paladin Granada pp 114 115 ISBN 978 0 586 08293 5 a b Boyes Georgina 1988 Cultural Survivals Theory and Traditional Customs Folk Life 26 9 doi 10 1179 043087787798239486 Boyes Georgina 1993 Dressing in the past The role of costume as an indicator of social dynamics in the Castleton garland ceremony in Buckland Theresa Wood Juliette eds Aspects of British Calendar Customs Sheffield Sheffield Academic Press pp 105 118 ISBN 978 1850752431 a b Simpson Jacqueline Roud Stephen 2000 A Dictionary of English Folklore Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 192 10019 1 Hutton Ronald 1996 The Stations of The Sun A History of the Ritual Year in Britain 2001 ed Oxford Oxford University Press pp 293 4 ISBN 978 0 192 85448 3Further reading editBoyes Georgina 2010 The Imagined Village Culture Ideology amp the English Folk Revival 2nd Revised ed No Masters Co Operative ISBN 978 0 956 62270 9External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castleton Garland Day Derbyshire and the Peak District Photographs Garland Day 2007 Castleton Garland official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Castleton Garland Day amp oldid 1083768773, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
