Wellow (SK6766), Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire Guardian (1897b)
[Anon.] (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES. No.807: OLD OBSERVANCES [Plough Monday Play at Wyverton Hall, Notts.]
*Nottinghamshire Guardian,
9th Apr.1897
Extracts from P.H.Ditchfield (1896) and other sources concerning
various customs from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. These include:
hanging a Kissing Bunch at Christmas in Derbys., Wassailing in Notts.,
the Maypole at Wellow, Oak and Nettle Day in Notts., maidens' garlands
in Derbyshire churches, and a long passage on Derbys' well dressing.
The following is quoted from Ditchfield:
"'The Plough Monday play', one of the few remaining specimens of
English folk drama, still survives. It resembles in some ways the
Christmas and Easter play but has several distinguishing features.
In the Plough Monday play there is no St. George and the principal
feature is the sword dance. The play, as performed recently at
Wyverton Hall, Nottinghamshire is printed in Mrs Musters's
'A Cavalier Stronghold'"
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.
Main variant
Scans/Images
Variant: external-resource
-
Full Article, Nottinghamshire History, accessed 2023-12-05
Includes photo of characters of Plough Monday play
Variant: photo
Scan/Image
M.W.Barley Collection (1952, Ragdale & U.Goodwin)
Mrs. Ragdale (Inf.); Mr. U. Goodwin (Inf.)
Plough Monday - 2nd Monday in Jan. [Play from Wellow, Notts.]
M.W.Barley Collection,
Col. 1952, Ref.Ba P 1/37
Fragmentary text (28 lines) of a play from Wellow, Notts. The characters
are; First Man/Thomas, 3rd Man/Dick Be-elzebub, 4th/Thresher, 5th/Deb Jane and
Doctor.
Variant: b
Transcript
Plough Monday - 2nd Monday in Jan.
First man knocks, opens door, & walks in.
Saying
In comes I, who's never been before
With five jolly actors at your door
See full transcript...
Variant: c
Transcript
PLOUGH MONDAY. 2nd Monday in January.
Wellow. From Mrs. Ragsdale } 1952
Mr. U. Goodwin }
First man knocks, opens door and walks in saying:
In comes I, who's never been before
See full transcript...
* indicates data that not yet been validated against the original source and/or has yet to be completely indexed.
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