Animals and Beasts
English folk costumes include a number of animal costumes which are either the centre of a custom, or an additional attraction. Animal costumes are used all over England although the most famous of all, the Padstow and Minehead hobby horses, are from Cornwall and Somerset respectively. Hobby horse costumes have been worn since the Tudor period, and whilst they can appear on their own, often they accompany mumming plays or morris dancers. Many modern morris teams have created their own fantastic animals including unicorns and cockerels. These animals accompany the dancing and act like team mascots.
Hobby Horse
Today, hobby horse means a false horse. The term is often used for a children’s toy - the word hobby itself is actually a medieval word for horse! In England there are two main types of hobby horses. The mast (or stick) horse is made from a real horse’s skull, or false head, which is attached to a pole. A person holds the pole and is covered entirely by a cloth. Sometime the horse’s head is mechanical and the mouth, eyes, and even ears can be manipulated. In contrast, the tourney horse is made from a large round frame which covers the wearer. The frame is covered in cloth and attached to the wearer’s waist, normally with braces which go over the wearer’s shoulders. A horse’s head is attached to the front of the costume and sometimes false human legs are attached at the side.
The Minehead Hobby Horse
The Minehead Hobby Horse (pictured above) is a large frame which comes to below the wearer’s neck. The frame is covered in fabric and decorated with colourful roundels (round circles of fabric). The top of the frame is covered with strips of cloth. The wearer’s head is covered with a mask and surrounded by a hood which is covered in ribbons or strips of cloth. A large stick comes out of the top of the hood.
The Padstow ‘oss
The Padstow 'oss has a large frame covered by a black cloth with a hole for the wearer’s head which is covered by a large mask with bold red, white, and black colours. At the front and back of the frame is a rather small horses head and tail (see Padstow Attendants under Special Costumes)
The Hooden Horse
The Hooden Horse from Kent was part of a small play which was performed in people’s houses by farm labourers at Christmas. The word hooden comes from hooded as the wearer’s whole body is covered by fabric. The players would put on an improvised performance and songs would be sung. The horse was formed by a person bent over, who lent on a pole for support and was then covered by a cloth. The pole had a wooden head attached to it which was decorated with horse brasses and rosettes, with ribbons for a mane.
The Derby Ram (Old Tup)
The Derby Ram (pictured above) is part of a Christmas visiting custom from Derbyshire. This costume is part of a short play performed at Christmas time, which includes the Derby Ram song, a dance by the ram, and then a mock killing of the ram by the other performers. The ram is made by throwing a sheet, sack, carpet, coat, or even curtain over the performer. The head could be a real sheep’s skull, a wooden one, or a pair of horns mounted onto a pole. Sometimes the head was even made by simply by tying the cloth into horns, or just chalking a face onto the cloth.
The Straw Bear
In Cambridgeshire on Plough Monday in the 1800s a person would be covered in tied bundles straw from head to toe until they resembled a walking sheaf of corn. Led by a piece of rope, they were encouraged to dance for money from passers-by. This figure was called the Straw Bear and it is likely that this custom was inspired by dancing bears which were a popular but cruel form of entertainment that was banned in 1911. The straw bear can be seen today as a key part of an annual festival at Whittlesey.
