PLOUGH MONDAY

No one enjoys going back to work after Christmas. Even if you tell me otherwise, I doubt I'd believe you. To ease those post-holiday blues, agricultural workers celebrated one last hurrah to mark the start of the agricultural year: Plough Monday.

THE ORIGINS OF PLOUGH MONDAY

Plough Monday is held on the first Monday after Twelfth Night and traditionally marked the beginning of the ploughing season. The day before, Plough Sunday, a special church service was held to bless the land, the workers, and the tools they used. In many parishes, a common plough - kept on church grounds - would be cleaned and decorated with flowers and ribbons for the service. The ceremony included the lighting of ‘Plough Lights,’ candles kept burning to ensure good blessings for the farming season ahead.

When the Reformation came, the Church deemed such practices way too pagan and superstitious. Although the official blessings stopped, people kept the tradition alive in new ways. Ploughs continued to be paraded through villages, with participants collecting donations to support community events or themselves. Those who didn’t donate risked having their front doorstep ploughed - or possibly worse...

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“Plough Monday saw the traditional procession of the plough and the demands for money made by men and boys, many dressed as women or horses. In the Southery and Littleport Fens, any woman refusing to give money would have her long drawers dragged from her and hung round her neck”

– Enid Porter, The Folklore of East Anglia (1974)

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REGIONAL DIFFERENCES

Plough Monday customs varied by region, each with its own quirks. For example, in Yorkshire, plough boys were known as ‘Plough Stots,’ in Nottinghamshire as ‘Plough Bullocks,’ and in the Fens as ‘Plough Witches.’

"In Doddington and other villages in North East Cambridgeshire, the day was known as Plough Witching Day, a name not yet forgotten, and the taking round of the plough as ‘going plough-witching.’"

– Enid Porter, The Folklore of East Anglia (1974)

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MOLLY DANCING: THE STAR OF THE SHOW

Molly Dancing played a huge role in East Anglian Plough Monday traditions, especially in the Fens. A variation of Morris (or Moorish) dancing, Molly Dancing involved at least one performer dressed as an old woman—the ‘Molly.’ The, probably problematic, term "Molly" historically described effeminate men, which reflects a complex history worth exploring in more depth. But for now, let’s focus on the spectacle: lively dances, colorful costumes, and a good-natured spirit of mischief.

Although Molly dancing is a variation of Morris Dancing it does have some of it’s own unusual traits. Instead of waving hankies and bells around Molly Dancers had brooms and featured a lot more stomping. Molly Dancing was a more aggressive and robust cousin to Morris, although it would be hard to NOT stamp dancing in hob-nailed boots. 

Molly Dancing was seen as a bit more ‘rough’ than its counterparts with molly dancers having a reputation for being rough and ready.  

FRAT BOYS OF THE FENS: HAZING RITUALS

Plough Monday also included ceremonies to initiate new plough boys into the teams. In most areas, this involved tapping the soles of the new boys’ shoes - maybe linked to the ‘protective properties; of iron.

“When Winterton boys exchange their various treasures the bargain is not considered irrevocable until each lad has ‘touched cold iron’. According to information lately received ‘It is no uncommon things to see two boys barter birds’-eggs, etc. and then lift up a foot and touch a nail in the heel of their boots to ratify the agreement”

- Examples of Printed Folklore Concerning Lincolnshire, 1908, Mrs Gutch & Mabel Peacock.

However, the fen boys took up a level. There, existing ploughmen would chase the boys, grab them, and press their faces against a horse’s arse. As you might expect, this vintage hazing ritual was accompanied by plenty of beer.

“The ceremony was usually performed by the ploughmen tapping in the soles of the initiates’ shoes, but in the Norfolk Fens, the boy was first chased by the men who then grabbed him and pressed his face against the tail of a horse. Much beer-drinking, of course, accompanied both forms of the ceremony.”

– Enid Porter, The Folklore of East Anglia (1974)

PAGAN & VIKING ROOTS

The origins of Plough Monday are murky but likely date back to pre-Christian pagan traditions celebrating the new agricultural season. Another theory ties the festival to Danish Viking settlers. In his 1901 paper The Vikings: Traces of Their Folklore in Marshland, R.M. Heanley suggests that the ‘Plough Bullocks’ symbolize the Wild Huntsman and his spectral horde. Heanley also notes that the horse’s skull, a common element of Plough Monday costumes, represents ‘the white steed Gleipnir of the ancient god.’

A LIVING TRADITION

Although Plough Monday’s prominence has faded, echoes of the festival can still be found - like the Whittlesey Straw Bear Festival. Whether through historical reenactments or community celebrations, the customs remind us of the strong ties between people, land, and tradition.

Does your region have its own unique agricultural traditions? Share your stories or drop me a message—especially if you’re an expert on Molly Dancing!