The Goathland Plough Stots – 2025

  The village of Goathland on the North York Moors has preserved the old tradition of ‘Blessing the Plough’, which takes place in early January every year. Connected with this tradition are a group of sword dancers known as the Goathland Plough Stots, who have their ‘Day of Dance’ on the Saturday after the Plough Blessing. On this day they tour around the village to perform their sword dances, and collect money for the village charity.

The ‘Moses Rock’ Well – Beamsley

  Beamsley is a small village, located 5 miles to the east of Skipton. Harry Speight mentions the ‘Moses’ Rock’ spring at Beamsley as a foot note in his book Upper Wharfedale (Speight, 1900) …

“Happy is Beamsley, too, in its liquid refreshment, for no purer spring is to be found through all England, and so copious is the supply that in the driest season it has never known to fail. The good folk respect their precious spring and call the place from which it issues “Moses’ Rock.”

Pudding Pie Hill – Sowerby (Thirsk)

  Pudding Pie Hill is a large burial mound located in a field to the east of Sowerby village, near Thirsk.

  In the past, Pudding Pie Hill was believed to be a fairy dwelling – just Like the Willy Howe tumulus near Wold Newton in East Yorkshire. Writing in the 1850’s, the Darlington historian William Hylton Longstaffe, listed several fairy locations in this region, noting that ……

Boxing Day Sword Dance – Flamborough

  I have known about the Flamborough Long Sword Dancers for many years, but never had the chance to see them perform – until this year. It was worth the wait, as it was a real treat to visit Flamborough and see an honest local tradition being performed by, and for, the good folk of Flamborough. There were no big crowds of posers or yuppies (only there to be ‘seen’), just local families, young uns and old folk, turning out to support a Flamborough tradition.

The Julbock – Yule Goat

  Across Britain and much of Northern Europe, the last sheaf of grain to be harvested on a farm held a special significance. It was kept in the farmhouse, and given pride of place at the harvest supper, and was also brought out at Yule/Christmas. In Scandinavian countries this last sheaf was called the Skördebock or ‘harvest Goat’, and straw from the sheaf was formed into the shape of a goat. These straw goats or ‘Julbock’ are still a popular Christmas decoration in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Poland.