Eakring (SK6762), Nottinghamshire
W.Page (1910)
William Page (Auth.)
THE VICTORIA HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF NOTTINGHAM
London: Constable and Company Limited, 1910, Vol.2, pp.410-413
The chapter on "Old-Time Sports" gives details of a number of Notts., customs
taken from published accounts. These include; Bull-baiting, Bear-baiting,
Badger-baiting, and Cock-fighting, throwing at the cock and thrashing the fat
hen at Shrovetide, May-poles and May-day customs, Oak and Nettle Day, the
Eakring Ball-play on Easter Tuesday, Midsummer's Eve bonfires, wrestling and the
St. Ann's Well Shepherd's Race or maze.
The description of Plough Monday or Plough Bullock Day covers plough trailing
and malicious ploughing. A fragment is given from a play from South Notts,
with the characters; bold Anthony, St. George, Selina and a doctor. Washington
Irving's (1835) account of a Plough Monday and Morris Dancers at Newstead Abbey
is also quoted.
F.Collingwood (1933)
Frances Collingwood (Auth.)
Folk Lore of Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire Magazine,
1933, Vol.1, No.3, pp.187-188
Despite its general title, half of this article is devoted to Plough Monday
plays. Brief descriptions are given of versions from Clayworth, Notts., and
Blidworth, Notts., and there is an unlocated photograph of a team of actors. No
text is quoted however. The Clayworth play had the characters; Soldier, Old
Eezum Squeezum, Clown and Doctor, although sometimes King George or Saint George
appeared instead of Soldier, and Beelzebub replaced Eezum Squeezum. The
Blidworth "Plough-Bullocking" play had; King George, Doctor and a Pressgang, and
is described as being extant. It was collected by Rev. Edward Dunnicliff of
Ollerton. Cecil Sharp's theories on the dualistic nature of the play, and their
supposed pagan origins are reiterated. The rest of the article discusses the
Eakring Ball Game played on Easter Tuesdays, and Maypoles at Wellow, Edwinstowe,
Linby, Farnsfield, Stapleford and Nottingham.
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