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More Maypoles
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More Maypoles |
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Maypole Dancing |
Country Dancing | |||||||
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Maypoles of all kinds and sizes |
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The traditional tall maypoles of the village green dating back to medieval times. |
The ribbon and pole dance popular in schools from Victorian times onwards |
Garlands carried on poles |
Walking May Poles |
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Traditional Maypoles |
Ribbon and Pole Dance |
May Garlands |
Jack in the Green |
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Maypole and dancers on Monument Green,
Weybridge c1750
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The familiar ribbon and pole dance is also common
throughout Europe and is often associated with the sword dance (for
example in the Basque regions, Spain, France and Italy). It may have
arrived here with troupes of theatrical players from the continent
attending fairs and festivals. Some of the earliest evidence of it in
England is from the pleasure gardens of London. It became
incorporated into the May Day ceremonies at Whitelands Training
School for Schoolmistresses (Chelsea) in late Victorian times (probably
copied from nearby Cremorne Pleasure Gardens). This is why it became so
popular in schools up and down the country. |
The 1st of May was Garland Day when children carried
garlands of flowers attached to poles and went from door to door singing
songs and collecting money. These garlands were sometimes called "May
Poles". |
Frames covered in vegetation and carried around by a
person inside usually known as Jack in the Green are sometimes refered to
as Maypoles in old accounts. Picture: May Day outside a Village Inn, from
an early Victorian print. |
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German maypole with trade emblems. Notice the hoop dance of the barrel makers. The knifesmiths had their sword dances and the cord/ribbon makers the ribbon dance. |
The columns in Konigslutter Abbey |
Gosforth churchyard cross (Cumbria) |
16th Century German Fair |
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| The use of prominent trees or posts to mark meeting places goes back to at least Anglo Saxon times (The old English word "stapol" such as in Barnstaple, Dunstable or Whitstable refers to such a post). The first evidence for actual maypoles comes from the 14th century (a poem to a Birch pole set up in Llanidloes ). There is an early depiction of a maypole in a fresco of 1590 in the Antiquarim of the Munich Residence showing a typical German example with double sided tillers for the emblems to be attached to. Tall poles were erected to act as temporary or permanent landmarks, often for markets and fairs during the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. They were decorated with garlands and ribbons sometimes with a weather vane on top. Prizes could also be hung from the top in the game of climbing the greasy pole. They were associated with the Church Ale in England (as evidenced in Church Warden's Accounts) and the Kermesse in the Low Countries / Northern France (an anniversary celebration to mark the foundation of a church or parish) as depicted in many Dutch and Flemish Paintings. They could become objects of inter village rivalry, trying to outdo each other in height and in a competition to steal one another's pole etc. Round country dances, morris dances or plays about Robin Hood and his merry men were performed around them. They could have been used to assert the right to gather timber from local woods (sometimes without the owners permission). They could also become the focal point for civil dissobediance and general rowdy behaviour. |
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In the Luttrell Psalter (comissioned in the 1330's) there is an
illustration of Constantinople depicted as an English town during the
Rogation Day festival. The origins of this celebration were attributed by
contemporary authors to this city and thought of as a Christianisation of
the May Day festival. It shows varioius Inn signs including a pole with a
disk on top. The verse above says: "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing with joy and be glad all our days. " |
| On New year's Day 1502 triumphs of various heroes of antiquity were performed in the streets of Rome and comedies were acted in the Vatican. A morisco was performed in the Pope's chamber upon a stage decorated with foliage and lighted with torches. After a short eclogue, a jongleur dressed as a woman danced the morisco to the accompaniment of tambourines; Cesare Borgia himself took part in the performance and was recognised in spite of his disguise. Trumpets announced a second performance - a tree appeared with a Genius sitting on top of it reciting verses. His recitations over, he dropped down the ends of nine silk ribbons which were taken by nine masked persons who danced about the tree. This morisco was loudly applauded. |
 Masquerade at Ranelagh Gardens, London 1759 in the Italian
style.Maypole plaiting appeared in the play "Richard Plantagenet" by J T Haines at the Victoria Theatre, London in 1836, spread to the Well Dressing at Buxton in 1840, Tudor May Games at Crystal Palace in 1850 and Arley Hall, Cheshire in 1866. Knutsford in the 1860's also became the location for just about every May Day tradition imaginable. It is thought that John Ruskin brought what he had seen in Cheshire (when visiting Winnington Hall Girls School, where dancing was very much encouraged) to Whitelands Teacher Training School in Chelsea. He was friends with Kate Greenaway, who was to design the costumes. The maypole dance was also performed at Cremorne Gardens, Chelsea in 1858. |
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Hey for Sellenger's Round ! (The Beginning of the World): The Maypole Dance of Old England. |
| According to Sir John Hawkins, one of the earliest Rounds is
Sellengers Round, “which Sir Anthony St. Leger saw danced in Ireland, in
1540, and which, on retiring from the Viceroyalty in 1548, he brought back
with him to England, where its popularity was so great that it was
arranged by the famous master, Dr. William Byrd.” In "Bacchus' Bountie" 1593 it says: "While they tippled, the fiddler he fiddled, and the pots danced for joy the old hop-about commonly called Sellengar's Round" In William Kemp's "Nine Daie's Wonder" of 1600 he states " there's not a country wench who can dance Sellinger's Round but can talke of Dick Burbage and Will Kemp In "Father Hubburd's Tale" 1604: "Do but imagine now what a sad Christmas we all kept in the country, without either carols, wassail bowls, dancing of Sellenger's Round in moonshine nights about Maypoles, shoeing the mare, hoodman-blind, hot cockles, or any of our Christmas gambols, - no not so much as choosing king and queen on Twelfth Night!" In the play Anamnestes 1607: "by the same token the first tune the planets played: I remember Venus, the treble, ran sweet division upon Saturn, the base. The first tune they played was Sellenger's Round, in memory whereof, ever since, it hath been called The Beginning of the World." A 17th century publication called "The New Crown Garland of Princely Pastime and Mirth" has a wood-cut showing people dancing around a maypole with the caption "Hey for Sellinger's Round". In 1594 John Davies wrote his epic poem about dancing called Orchestra, the following verse seems to be about the origin of maypole dances: Thus when at first Love had them marshalled, |
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For help with school events please try Tradamis (TRAditional Dance And Music In
Schools) |
| From: GESTA GRAYORUM, PART II. (The Christmas Revels at
Gray's Inn 1594) Approach now thou that course in the reare of my disciples ; but many martch in the vantgarde, for the vallidity ; for at the celebration of the Feast of Venus Citherea this amarose did exprese such passion with his eyes, such winks, such glaunces, and with his whole body such delightfull gestures, such cringes, such pretty wanton mimicks, that he was the applause of all; and as it was necessary at the feast of the goddesse, he had then a most ample and inflaminge codpeece, which, with his other graces, purchased him his prize, the smocke of Venus, wrapt turbant-like on his head, the same she had on when she went to bed with Mars, and was taken nappinge by Vulcan. The paradox of it is, that it be hanged on the tope of our May-pole, it drawes to us all the younge laddes and lasses neere adjoyninge, without powder to put to, till we stricke saye ourselves. And now I have named our May-pole, goe, bringe it forth, though it be more troublesome or cumbersome than the Trojan horse, bringe it by force of armes ; and see you fix it fast in the midst of this place, least, when you circle it with your caprians daunces, it falls from the foundation, lights uppon some ladye's head, and cuffe off her perriwige. But now for the glory of Athens. Musicke plales the Antimaske. The Disciples dance the first streigne. We have given you a taste of th'excellency of our Athenian revells, which I will now dignify with my owne person bye ther impediment, wherof beinge freed, I will discend: you author of great wonders, what assent is this? what supernaturall paradox ? a wodden May-pole finds thuse of voluntary motion ! assuredly, this tree was formerly the habitation of some wood-nymphe. For the Druides (as the poets say) live in trees; and perhaps, to honour my dauncinge, the nymphe hath crept into this tree againe ; soe I apprehend it, and will entertain her curtesye. Paradox, his Disciples, and the May-pole, all dance. Did ever eye see the like foolinge of a tree? or could any tree but an Athenian tree doe this ? or could any nimphe move it but an Athenian nimphe ? Faire nimphe, though I cannot arrive at thie lips, yet wili I kisse thy wooden maske, that hides thy, noe doubte, amiable face. Paradox offers to kisse, and a Nimphs head meets him out of the May-pole. Wonder of wonders! sweet nimph, forbeare! my whole structure tombles ! mortallity cannot stand the brightnes of thie countenance : pursue me not, I beseech thee : put up thy face for love's sake : helpe, helpe, Disciples ; take away the dismall pole from me ; rescue me, rescue me, with all your violence : see, the devill is gone, and I will not stay long after. Lordings, or ladies, if ther be any heer desirous to be instructed in the mistery of paradoxing, you shall have inee at my lodginge in the Blacke and White Courte, at the signe of the Naked Boy : and soe to you all the best wishes of the night. Enter Mountebancke. Stay, presumptuous Paradox, I have vewed thy antickes, and thy puppet ; which have kindled in mee the fyer of emulation. Looke, am I not in habit as fantasticke as thyselfe ? doest thou hope for grace with ladies by thy revell doctrines ? am I a man of arte ? Witnesse this my charminge rod, wherewith I worke miracles. And wheras thou, like a fabulous Greeke, hast made. monsters of thie disciples ; soe I will oppose squadron against squadron, and plain truth against painted fiction ; now for thy meneinge all singe, but for frightinge the devill out of it. I could incounter thee with Totnam High-crosse, or Cheap-crosse (though it be new guilte), but I scorne odds ; and therfore I will affront thee pole to pole. Soe, Disciples, usher in our lusty inchaunted motion ; and, Paradox, now betake you to your tacklinge, for you deale with men that have agew and fyer in them. Paradox. Assist me, O thou active Nimph, and you my glorious associates : victory, victory, for Athens. Mountebancke. Accomplished Greeke, now as wee ar true Mountebancks, this was bravely performed on both parts ; and nothinge now remaines but to make these two May-poles better acquainted ; but we must give place to the knights appeare. Enter Obscurity. Enough of these night sports ; part, faire knights, And leave an edge on pleasure ; least these lights I sodainly dime all ; and pray how then Will these gay ladies shift among you men ? In such confusion, some ther honours may misse ; Obscurity knowes tricks as bad as this. But make your partinge innocent for me ; I will noe author now of error bee : Myselfe shall passe with you a frende of light, Givinge to all this round a King's good-night. Last Songe. The howers of sleepy night decayes apace ; And now warme beds are fitter than this place. All time is longe that is unwillingly spent ; But howers are minitts when they yeld content. The gathered flowers wee love, that breathe sweet sent ; But loathe them, there sweet odours beinge spente. It is a life is never ill, To lye and sleep in roses still. The rarer pleasure is, it is more sweet ; And frends are kindest when they seldome meet. Who would not heare the nightingale still singe ; Or who grew ever weary of the Springe The day must have her nighte, the Springe her fall ; All is divided, none is lorde of all. It were a most delightfull thinge, To live in a perpetuall Springe. |
