May Day: Centuries-old tradition behind Ickwell's traditional celebrations - which return this May 1

When residents and visitors flock to Ickwell Green for the May Day celebrations next month, they’ll be continuing a custom that’s been established in the village since 1563.

One of the age-old traditions is the half-mile procession from the Church at Northill to the Green, which continues to this day.

The festivities kick off with Morris dancing in the car park of The Crown Public House in Northill at 11.30am on Monday, May 1, followed by the children’s decorated hoops competition judging.

The procession leaves for Ickwell Green at 1.30pm, with the road closed to vehicles for its duration.

The highlight of the day will be the crowning of the May Queen Tierney Fox at Ickwell Green at 2pm with young and old taking part in the dancing afterwards.

A selection of stalls, refreshments and entertainments are available opposite the maypole arena from 10am onwards. Seats in the arena are available from noon and cost £2 for adults and £1 for children under 16.

Ickwell is unique in the fact that it has 24 adults – known as the Old Scholars – who participate in the time-honoured ribbon plaiting around the maypole.

Almost without exception, they are former pupils of the village school and many of them have children and grandchildren who will be performing alongside them.

There will be entertainment apenty for the whole family from 10am in the Maypole arena with stalls, refreshments and activities.

A maypole, usually made of larch, was erected every year until the 19th Century when a permanent maypole – said to be a ship’s mast – was put in place in 1872 to celebrate the birth of Squire John Harvey’s son.

When he died, he left instructions for the sum of £2.10 to be paid annually for its upkeep.

A bunch of mayflower (hawthorn) is tied around the pole every year before the celebrations begin.

Two ‘moggies’ with blackened faces – representing the sweep and his wife – are another traditional May Day feature, and play an important role in collecting funds to enable these ancient rituals to carry on.

In the 1880s, a new style of celebration was introduced in England by Professor John Ruskin of London’s Whitelands College, reflecting what was happening at similar occasions in Europe.

This involved electing a May Queen and attaching coloured ribbons to the pole, which were then woven and plaited by the dancers.

One of his pupils was a Mrs Hodges, who became headmistress of Northill School 1894.

The school in the next door village, Caldecote, has had a half-day holiday since at least 1864 to enable little learners to join in the Ickwell festivities and in 1911, they were invited to send dancers to take part.

Old Warden subsequently became involved.

The current Ickwell and District May Day Committee has been in existence since 1945.

One of the most joyous occasions recently was May Day 2000 when there were no less than 50 former May Queens in attendance.

Stephanie Turner, who won the title that year, was presented with a locket by Vera Randall, nee Wagstaff, who had been May Queen in 1920.

For more information, visit The Ickwell May Day website.