Gawthorpe: Inside the curious traditions of a Yorkshire village from coal carrying championships to this weekend's Maypole procession and fair

Now, for this 150th anniversary year, Gawthorpe’ s Maypole Procession is to see special celebrations this weekend and with a new crown commissioned for the village's May queen.

This is a great British tradition as seen in many towns and villages, but with few celebrating in quite this style.

President of the Gawthorpe Maypole Committee, Duncan Smith, said there is a whole weekend of processions and tea parties and funfairs to come.

“ It’ s just a wonderful community event that brings people together,” he said.

“ It goes right back to Richard ll’ s time, when Maypole dancing was brought to England. The history of it goes back a long, long way. Cutting down a tree in a local forest and ‘ dressing’ it.

“ Then there is the dancing, which is still maintained by the local school and taught by one of the teachers.

“ So many children want to do, there is still an interest there.”

This Saturday, May 4, will see a colourful procession of floats and fancy dress weave its way on a four-and-a-half mile route around Ossett and Gawthorpe from 2pm.

Then there will be the crowning of the May Queen elect, with a new crown having been crafted in solid silver for the occasion by a Sheffield silversmith.

Then the dancing begins, with primary school pupils to entertain the crowd with some of the world’s most complex and intricate plaiting sequences from 5.30pm.

Records as far back as 1906 show children learning the complex dances at the local school.

Boys and girls were taught first by a Mrs Stephens, and then a Miss Green, with instruction in the various dance sequences.

With names like Barber’s Pole, the Spiders Web, Gypsy's Test and the Centenary Polka, they can be some of the most comprehensive plaiting sequences in the country.

It can take months of practice and serious dedication to master the steps, but lessons continue to this day at Gawthorpe Academy.

And as it has done for more than 130 years, the family-run Robinson’s funfair will be in attendance on the Maypole Field.

Finally, celebrations will draw to a close on Bank Holiday Monday with a special afternoon tea and entertainment for 100 older people from the village at the Darby and Joan Welfare Hall.

To Mr Smith, there is tremendous value to the feast and its procession traditions.

“ We weren’ t able to keep going through Covid, but it’ s come back stronger than ever,” he said. “ People really do value it.”