Disclosure : This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Mummers, Maypoles and Milkmaids

In Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, a man covered from head to toe in straw – the `straw bear` – is paraded through the streets, accompanied by 250 dancers, musicians and performers, while in Ottery St Mary, Devon, a crowd gathers as townspeople hoist barrels of flaming tar on to their shoulders and carry them until they are too hot to handle. Award-winning photographer Sara Hannant has travelled the length and breadth of the country, capturing the seemingly bizarre regional rituals – costumed processions, symbolic dramatizations, traditional dances and fire ceremonies – that mark the changing seasons. Many of these customs claim an ancient origin, and are kept alive today by local communities. Hannant`s vibrant photographs reflect her keen eye for the unexpected, offering a captivating and surprising study of English identity.

Related Products:

African Ceremonies Concise Edition African Twilight: The Vanishing Rituals and Ceremonies of the African Continent Red Strangers Ace Dragon Ltd The Hell-Fire Clubs The Book of Christmas: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Festive Traditions Vinland A House in Fez The Pattern Under the Plough Mask: Chris Rainier Bizarre World: A Collection of the World`s Creepiest, Strangest, and Sometimes Most Hilarious Traditions Meet the Ancient Greeks Dances with Wolves: The American Frontier Epic including The Holy Road Dances With Waves:Around Ireland by Kayak Kyoto City of Zen: Visiting the Heritage Sites of Japan`s Ancient Capital Winter Wild: A Feast of Dark Delights Church Curiosities: Strange Objects and Bizarre Legends The Rituals of Dinner: The Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities and Meaning of Table Manners Village Christmas Roman Mythology: A Traveller`s Guide from Troy to Tivoli The Story of Stonhenge Autumn: An Anthology for the Changing Seasons Irish Nature Yr Hb India: The Passenger Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, 2000 Edition – IMO Model Course London`s Secrets: Bizarre & Curious Yesterday`s Country Customs (English) Insight Guides Explore Bali Ancient Greeks Sticker Book Royal Jubilees STORY ORCHESTRA Spring: An Anthology for the Changing Seasons Fire Safety Log Book Serbia in Your Hands Rituals Baby`s Very First Fire Engine Book The Ancient Woods of Helford River Daily Rituals: Women at Work A Motor-Flight Through France Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (Book 3)