Latest News
3 December 2022
Monday 12th December is our AGM at the Village Hall at 8pm - All are welcome.
If you have any ideas you would like to bring to the committee, please join us or email them to castletongarland@gmail.com
29 April 2022
We are having an open meeting to encourage people to get involved on the day with the Garland Ceremony. Don’t forget this years ceremony is on the 30th May!!
Thursday 19th May 2022
8pm Castleton Village Hall
We are looking for anyone who would be interested in helping with the various activities that happen on the day - whether it be helping collect flowers, making the Garland, supervising the ceremony, handing out drinks, pole holding, etc.
Please come along and have a chat - the Garland is for the village - please help to keep it alive.
We are also having practices in the Village Hall on the following dates 4.30pm ~ 6.00pm. All are welcome.
4th May
11th May
18th May
25th May
And a final practice on the day from 11am for anyone coming back to the village just for the day.
In order not to disappoint anyone, please can you let us know asap if you are intending to dance. Either contact Julie Judge directly or email castletongarland@gmail.com
Jon
8 April 2022
If local folklore is to believe, then Castleton Garland survived both the 1348 Black Death and the 1665 Gras Plague. Now, hopefully, with the epithet “ancient” added to its name, it has survived the 2020-2021 COVID Pandemic. Hopefully as it isn’t quite complete yet.
At the organiser’s recent AGM, the long-serving and very hard-working chairman, Peter Outran, retired and Simon Dale took over the post. Then with the committee complete the 2022 Garland arrangements could proceed. Everything seems in place, king and consort happy to continue, horses booked, the excellent Castleton Silver band tuning-up, pubs organised, insurance paid and most importantly the actual Garland-makers ready.
There is just one snag, quite a large one, there is a very real shortage dancers both for the street procession and the Maypole Dancing. The huge increase in tourism has resulted in corresponding drop in population as more and more homes become “holiday-lets”. Barely 250 people live in Castleton and of these only a very small proportion are young people and an even smaller number between the age of 7 and 16 which had been the original age restrictions.
It was obvious in 2019 that drastic measures were needed especially for the Maypole where there were only three possible dancers. After many frantic phone calls ex-dancers and their daughters gallantly turned up and with an age range from 11 year to 79 years created 6 memorable perfectly performed Maypole routines.
So, back to “hopefully” and to you, dear readers. Maybe you once “danced the Garland”, and still could, perhaps your children or grandchildren would like to continue the tradition; make the phone call please. Possibly you have no connection to Castleton but relish the idea of being part of such an ancient ceremony. Again, please get in touch. There will be rehearsals but do not let that deter you. By the way we are not gender specific nor white dresses obligatory; but a sense of humour and fun attitude will help! Contacts Julie Judge on 07854245450
If you would just like to be a steward, you would also be welcome.
Sophie Judge