Haxey Hood - 6 January 2006

6 January 2006

January 6th marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas and the traditional start of the new year. In Brigg itself there is no specific event on this day - except for the switching off of the Christmas lights on Wrawby Street.

In Haxey, however, on January the 6th the 'Haxey Hood' is held. The origins of the event go back many hundreds of years and may have arisen from a pagan midwinter festival.

During the day four teams - drawn from the pubs in Haxey (Duke William, The King's arms, The Loco, The Carpenters Arms in Westwoodside) - visit each pub and sing traditional songs (click on link at the bottom of this page to hear 'To be a farmer's boy') and naturally also drink flagons of ale (in non-breakable acrylic to pander to modern day health and safety laws).

At around 2:30pm the Fool - the master of ceremonies - dressed in a harlequin's costume (see picture right) gives a speech to welcome the visitors and announce the start of the 'tussle'.

He then leads the crowd - at least five hundred - up to Upperthorpe Hill - halfway between Haxey and Westwoodside. Several sack 'hoods' are thrown first for the children who race like terriers. Then comes the final 'sway' when the Lord of the Hood helped by the Chief Boggin referees the scrum - as the four pub teams attempt to 'sway' the Hood back to their hostelry. A group of Boggins - men dressed in red coats - keep order.

The atmosphere in the streets and pubs of Haxey was lively and friendly. It is a shame that Brigg has 'forgotten' to celebrate the old New Year with the vigour that its neighbour Haxey does.

Play 'To be a farmers boy' sound clip (820 KB). The clip was recorded in the Loco public house and is very loud with background noise from the packed crowd. NB. The file is large and most suitable for those with a broadband connection.