Maypoles: Looking back at historic tradition repeated in Yorkshire since the 14th Century

Barwick in Elmet and Nun Monkton often cited as the key villages for this type of celebration with their proud maypoles said to be vying to be deemed the tallest in the country at well over 80ft.

They are not as common now as they once were but maypole dancing will get Sinnington's annual Spring Fair under way in Ryedale today.

Gawthorpe near Wakefield will stage a maypole procession but it won’t be today. It is planned for Saturday May 13.

A spokesman said: “The procession itself consists of decorated floats, normally based on a given theme, entered by local schools, church organisations and manufacturing companies. Children in a variety of fancy dress costumes, marching bands, majorettes, horses along with various other competitors and of course the May Queen and her attendants.

"There is also a Funfair, provided by Robinson’s for more than 100 years within walking distance which has the various rides and usual type of entertainment associated with them.”

The earliest evidence of maypoles is said to come from a Welsh poem in the mid-14th century in is described how people used a tall birch pole at Llanidloes, central Wales.

Maypoles may be rarer sight these days but over the centuries they became "communal symbols" that brought the local community together – in some cases, poorer parishes would join up with neighbouring ones in order to obtain and erect one, whilst in other cases, such as in Hertfordshire in 1602 and Warwickshire in 1639, people stole the poles of neighbouring communities, leading to violence.

The maypole at Barwick in Elmet is one of the tallest in the country and is the focus of major celebrations. Every three years the pole is taken down on Easter Monday for refurbishing and is re-erected on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday.