folk custom found tradition use eponymous hobby horse horse skull mounted pole carried individual hidden represents regional variation animal tradition appears forms britain custom recorded subsequent accounts produced early twentieth century according tradition performed christmas time groups men form teams accompany horse travels local area makeup groups varied typically included individual carry horse leader individuals dressed stock characters punch team carry local houses request entry medium song expected deny entry song sides continue responses manner eventually relented team permitted entry given food drink custom given names best known etymology term remains subject academic debate believed term meant holy mary reference virgin mary fellow thought likely term originally meant grey mare referring heads appearance number earlier examine topic believed tradition pre christian religious rite scholarly support interpretation declined amid lack supporting evidence tradition declined early mid twentieth century opposition local christian clergy changing social conditions revived new forms mid century tradition inspired artistic depictions appearing instance work painter poet description consists horse skull decorated pole skull attached white sheet conceal pole individual carrying device occasion horse head represented skull instead wood paper instances horse jaw able open close result string attached accounts pieces glass eye examples representing eyes observer tradition performed nineteenth century noted preparation activity communal event locals involving custom performed festivities specifically dates christmas new year precise date custom performed varied villages number cases custom carried consecutive nights unique example provided account head kept buried year dug use christmas period custom begin dusk lasted late night party consisted seven men coloured attached clothes wore broad waist usually dressed leader carried staff stick whip stock characters played music punch played men faces brightly dressed punch carried long metal poker party approach house sing song requested inhabitants house offer team enter party sing second verse debate sides known continue house inhabitants ran ideas time obliged allow party entry provide food account described performance punch characters cause noise punch tapping ground rhythm music rapping door poker brushed ground house walls windows punch promise touch fireplace entered building local custom left fire poker case troupe typically granted entry automatically singing verse song inside entertainment continued running snapping jaws creating havoc frightening children adults leader pretended try played music entertained believed recorded examples apparent custom indistinguishable practice added examples involve added links apparent recorded examples wales opining represented variant wider custom found britain wider animal tradition identified existing different forms parts britain features common customs use hobby horse performance christmas time song spoken statement requesting payment use team included man dressed women clothing related example custom south eastern england early development etymology recorded sources term particular custom jones considered translation blessed mary reference virgin mary key religious figure translating slightly differently holy mary endorsed viewpoint acquaintances later suggested use mary unknown wales prior countered criticisms observation term reference virgin century black book early usage welsh accepted medieval period term restricted largely poets given evidence usage common dialect period given usual word grey welsh language welsh speakers exposed english word mare alternative suggestion considered term originally meant grey mare explanation parallels similar horse tradition found ireland known cases meaning white mare initially believing said suggestion later embraced fully similarly believed grey mare likely original meaning term noting appeared represent horse similar hobby horse customs neighbouring england tradition reference horses suggested term originally referred grey mare come associated virgin mary popular folk culture following reformation explaining virgin mary referred lyrics surviving welsh songs suggestion derives english term referring merry game opposed idea arguing converted welsh result dismissed idea suggested term context derived morris reference morris dancing reason doubt idea known historical link found morris dance concentrated north country recorded instances custom given different names recorded parts half 19th century recorded march horse canvas horse account head termed bee meaning grey error recorder confused horse head artificial bird tree carried area origins custom survival ancient popular rite ceremony suggested origins christian festivities commemoration biblical flight virgin mary egypt historically marked january according jones idea represented mary rode story opinion doubt survival pre christian tradition spread britain parts europe having survived renamed reference virgin mary middle ages expressed view original custom horrific origin intention early date connected concurred reasonable accept head attached independent tradition said connection virgin mary unnecessary suggested possibility parts tradition came influence miracle plays explaining later recorded examples counties contained characters known sergeant suggested practice probably religious pre christian origin adding time recorded emptied religious content embracing suggestion ancient origins believed represented death horse white cloth worn carrier suggesting originally employed pre christian ritual mark festival suggested ancient character fertility trend interpreting hobby horse traditions pre christian ended scholars came express greater caution proposing origins customs regional coverage mapping distribution appearances noted principally custom associated thirds instances falling county custom stretched east industrial valleys easterly account coming account earliest number examples found single example found single record custom performed example believed result man bringing custom moved north previously cautioned comparative absence recorded examples mid proof custom present areas opined clear reason distribution custom cut local cultural features areas found distinction english speaking areas acknowledged reasonable correspondence areas recorded areas mineral production 14th century suggested possibility performed coal iron miners western western spread villages goods manufactured minerals recorded appearances 18th 19th centuries earliest published account appeared tour year times book focused chapter passage included discussed language customs wales generally section evans related man new year day dressing blankets head like horse party attending knocking obtained runs room uncommon noise company quit real pretended soon recover reciting verse default paying small gain admission evans returned custom work letters written tour south wales year times provided discussion making apparent teams accompanying man dressed horse bull toured local area christmas twelfth day given food money leave appeared account termed roughly grey accompanied partners profits expedition turns horse groom suggested welsh methodist revival contributed decline number welsh folk customs published book lamented destructive impact christian having welsh folk customs criticising view consequence wales countries world reflecting view reverend baptist minister condemned related customs mixture old pagan ceremonies wish similar find place apart museum historian owen suggested custom decline result changing social conditions argued custom gave approved means entering houses neighbours culture public assemblies heart winter spirit season released suggested gifts food drink money doubt helped feeling community country folk time argued changing social conditions altered ways people southern wales celebrated christmas contributing folk custom decline 20th century revival article subject stated tradition met practised cardiff district districts highlighted example christmas eve observed performing alongside singers chemist shop subsequently expressed view deserves gratitude folk lore students having penetrated mysteries surrounding historian stated tradition appeared defunct early 20th century middle century revived published letter journal english dance song noted appeared christmas eve near man named kept custom alive past years blake explained believed custom performed villages area 1970s hole commented tradition found 1980s revived forms tradition emerged mountains commenting example inaugurated noted custom established strongly complaints misses regular calls noted taken festival taken festival cornwall believed custom emerged mountains people sought sense cultural identity termination traditional industries partly located area widely believed revival large forces local patriotism noting similar situation resulted resurrection tradition town council organised world largest millennium celebrations mixture customs occurs border town january band english meet local bridge culture prompted responses arts wales poet published ballad archbishop canterbury written outstanding poems century draws folk ritual new year uneasy frontier living dead present model poetry frontier work death life old year new bread body utilised artist series drawings focused horse man father death wrote sequence poems titled mare tale published alongside images novel silver tree author included appearance customs recorded existence similar custom existed circa mother childhood stated custom entailed use termed furthermore providing drawing mother basis unaware costume according evans description consisted sheet adjacent sides cone stuffed hay decorated buttons eyes harvest gloves ears resembling animal snout individual conceal sheet use hay fork inserted hay hold similar custom appears account entity known grey described involved imitation horse head canvas stuffed hay carried hay fork eve noted example welsh folk customs featuring head horse opined closely related horse head prepared manner akin spring festival known took place circa festival young men women gathered mill night entertainment late nineteenth century tradition recorded known giving skull skull horse placed door woman house day sign contempt parts wales horse head horns attached featured designed shame deemed behaved immoral manner audio recordings recordings custom 1940s 1950s available website recorded folk songs britain vol songs ceremony topic records topic available written sung ghosts records
Mari Lwyd