Yorkshire’s rushbearing tradition captured in new documentary on folk rituals
A new documentary series will showcase Yorkshire’s centuries-old rushbearing tradition in Sowerby Bridge as part of a wider exploration of Britain’s folk rituals.
The folk rituals still celebrated across Britain have long entranced those who have a sense of wonder about the history of these isles.
From mumming plays to bonfire effigies paraded through streets, there’s no denying that elements of folklore play to the uncanny, with several classic horror movies such as The Wicker Man taking their inspiration from the tradition.
But filmmaker Dave Brewis is at great pains to explain that amid the evocative drama, enduring traditions still show a sense of community and links to the land.
Mr Brewis has spent years documenting folk rituals across the country, with the results forming a six-part series, Gatherings, set to be released on streaming platforms later this year.
Each episode is a deep-dive into a specific ritual which has endured, or in some cases been revived, over the centuries.
And one episode’s focus is on Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, where an ancient ceremony of rushbearing – bringing new rushes to church floors – was reintroduced in 1977 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee and has since expanded to a huge annual community event.
An elaborate “rush cart” is paraded through the streets of the town, pulled by 60 local men and accompanied by Morris dancers.
Mr Brewis said: “It’s an interesting event rooted in the church. It goes way back before written records, and there was a specific reviving of it. Having come and gone over the years, in 1977 Gary Stringfellow decided to bring it back, and it’s grown and grown.
“I attend these events and have a sense of how they’re thriving. This event is spectacular. There’s an ornate rush cart with maidens on top of it blasting around that area of West Yorkshire. There’s nothing not to like. It’s just fun, and when I shot it, it was glorious weather.
“Each one of these films is unique because the events themselves are unique. As a filmmaker, I’ve tried to be as authentic as I could be. No presenter or voiceover, all the story comes from the protagonists themselves.
“I’m not trying to say too much with this series, but I want to mirror them in an authentic way. In the past, they’ve been presented as goofballs at the end of the news, but it’s way deeper than that. We’re talking about inherent themes of community, continuity and how these things are passed down from generation to generation.”
Other rituals that form the focus of an episode include the Burry Man in South Queensferry, Scotland, where a resident is covered head to toe with sticky burrs.
And North Lincolnshire’s Haxey Hood – a sprawling annual game of up to two hundred players who throw a leather tube towards one of four local pubs.
Mr Brewis said: “Many of these traditions are thriving. They tend to be intergenerational with communities coming together. Gatherings of human beings are something that we need. These events speak to our relationship with nature. Sometimes people just associate the aesthetic with folk horror, paganism or sacrifice, but it’s really not.”
For more information visit gatherings.tv.