May 4th 2024. The Guildford Summerpole Festival took place in the town centre today, a tradtional English folk custom to celebrate May Day and welcome the summer. The annual event run by the Guildford Pilgrim Morris dancers involves a procession of the Summer Court up the High Street led by the Sword Bearer, displays of morris dancing by Pilgrim Morris and several guest dance groups, followed by erecting the summerpole (instead of a traditional maypole) in Guildford Castle grounds, and further dancing.
Guildford’s Summer Games are first recorded in the early 16th Century and the record of the Court Leet held at the Guildhall in 1611 refers to ‘the Sommer Pole being found by his long standing over against the parish church of St Mary in Guldeforde‘ The festival is celebrated by a procession led by the Summer Court to Abbot’s Hospital at the top of the High Street where, at the behest of the Summer Court, games in the form of Morris dancing are provided for the entertainment of the Court and assembled multitudes. The Summerpole is then borne to the castle green and erected where there is more dancing and merriment until the Court retires for lunch. A second session in the afternoon concludes with the Summerpole being taken down for another year. The Summerpole Procession consists of: Sword Bearer: to clear the way The Summer Court: The Queen (and/or King), Princes, Princesses; Barker: loitering alongside with his fertility cake; The Garland: a wreath of spring shoots to welcome the summer; The Summerpole: borne in procession by Guildford’s own Pilgrim Morris; The Entertainment: Pilgrim Morris Men and their invited guests; and Jack in the Green.
Size: 5209px × 3473px
Location: Guildford, Surrey, England, UK
Photo credit: © Gillian Pullinger / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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