I'm told it used to be, when one of the Thaxted morris dancers was friendly with someone in the tower!

It's better than nothing

@@roddywishart4613 What is?

@@Wotsitorlabart pseudo mystical wickerman nonsense. It's better than sitting watching countryfile on a Sunday night

@@roddywishart4613 It's a toss up. Heads crap. Tails crap.

What's the story behind this version. Is it like the Mason's or something? What are the symbols on their hats?

@@Kayumari​​⁠I don’t know for sure that what I’m about to say is 100% true so please take it with a grain of salt! I believe this interpretation is about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; Albert (the dancer riding the “horse”) had a lifelong passion for hunting hence the deer (dancers with the masks), and the gentleman with the umbrella is portraying Victoria who famously wore black for the rest of her life after Albert died. The dance is portraying a hunt, with the deer out in front and ‘Albert’ leading the chase, and ‘Victoria’ is following behind. I think it’s meant to be about the deep loss that Victoria suffered with Albert’s death. The clothes they wear appear to be the same each year and I would suggest that the symbol has something to do with the Church, as I think they look rather priestly? That’s just my take, but those are the characters involved in this performance! Hope that helped :)

Deer crania, with whittled down antlers, and holes for the attachment of leather thongs in order to hold the headdress in place, have been found dating back to 9,000 & 11,000 years, in Yorkshire. This is a Neolithic, perhaps Mesolithic, hunting dance, shrill performed in the 21st century. The antiquity of this tradition is truly astounding.

@@susanritter2520 Rather wild speculation there, me thinks. The original Abbots Bromley Horn Dance (of which this is just a modern slowed down version) is first recorded only in 1532 with a hobby horse but no antlers. It is noted again in 1686 as a 'hobby horse dance' but this time the dancers are carrying antlers. The antlers have been dated to the 11th century and were imported as there were no reindeer in Britain at that time - so sometime between the 11th and 17th centuries. The locals claim it was first danced in 1226 (when the King granted a fair) - but there is no evidence that the dance took place in the C13.

No this is Thaxted Morris performing

Yes it is Abbott's Bromley, they perform it as part of the Thaxted Morris weekend, quite magical.

Earliest reference is 1532 to a 'hobby-horse dance' - no antlers mentioned.

can you give us a link to the real deal?

*without a brain*

Malcolm Gayner Abbots Bromley Horn Dance

+Malcolm Gayner The tune is "The Wheelwright Robinson" Check out "Abbots Bromley Horn Dance" on Wikipedia, and the 11minute documentary elsewhere on KZfaq.

Please please somebody tell me the significance of the guy in the horse costume, the manlady with the umbrella, the bell or triangle, the horned dancers? There MUST be a great origin story in there somewhere! 🙏