When I first saw the antlers in the church I was inspired to write a book - a fantasy fiction - Dance for Deeron based upon the Abobots Bromley event. It is amazing to see the dancers and so fabulous that they keep this ancient tradition alive. I hope Dance for Deeron will also play a part in preserving this part of our heritage.
I am looking forward to watching all your folk custom films. A topic very dear to my heart!
Are you familiar with the mayor weighing ceremony at High Wycombe? I have a few photos of it on my Flickr account (same account name) though I have yet to film it.
@Thorskegga weighing ceremony is definitely on the list for me to visit and has been for some time! (I looked at your Flickr account and you have some good photo's). I will post more videos on Youtube soon.
This is very interesting stuff seeing as it could possibly be a survival of the CORNOVII (the "horn" people") a Celtic tribe's ancient cult. The tribe held territory 55km south of Abbots Bromley.
@Brythonek There's also good evidence that it's a survival of a pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon custom geared to promoting a good hunt. The antlers used are reindeer antlers, and older ones once used in this dance have been carbon dated to the 11th century. Earlier ones no doubt existed. The Anglo-Saxons were of course Germanic, with ties to Scandinavia and other regions where reindeer are found. Reindeer are not native to the British Isles, and the 11th century antlers would have been imported.
@flute4hire True! Not nutty at all, but delightfully human. Centuries ago this dance was likely connected to a good hunt and survival of the tribe. It wasn't entertainment in the modern sense. Many of our celebrations today are equally as "nutty". What other animals bring trees into their homes and hang things from them, or shoot explosives into the air and cry in unison, "Ooooh! Aaaaah!"?
The traditional antlers of this morris team are so old that the dear they came from is extinct in the British isles. Thats how old this traditional dance is...
Fun to see, but I was surprised that you didn't dance to the tune, Abbot Bromley's Horn Dance, which I assumed was the "official" tune used for this ancient dance. Anyway, thanks for sharing!
Not sure of that one. Perhaps someone from the dance side can explain that. I believe The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance tune is danced (by Thaxted Morris Men?) at the Morris Ring Meeting at Thaxted in early June, but The Abbots Bromley dancers don't use it.
is this the first horn dance you have been to? how old are you i am realtes to the late douglas fowell his last horn dance day was in 2006 did you know him he was my grandad i have gone every year since i was born.
This is the first and only horn dance i've been to but I intend to go again. Without revealing my age, I am, by the sound of it, older than you! I'm still young enough to Morris Dance though! Glad you liked the vid and interested to hear of your family connections.
A few questions: What's the relationship between this and morris dancing? The histories I've seen are extremely vague - has anyone done any real research on it? And the tunes on this video seem more modern than 13th century, so does anyone know what early songs were likely used in the earliest horn dances?
im sorry but as far as i know tehre is no 13th century music and i can assure you that there has been a lot of reseach into this dance all through my family. As for morris dancing i do not know of any relationship the tunes were played by my great uncle doug and these are his adaptations of what was played beore him.
I found an English 13th century dance tune on YouTube (under 13th Dentury Medieval English Dance) but it probably isn't anything more than a crude approximation to what was used for the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance at that time. Do you have any recommended reading for the Horn Dance?
There's a 27 page book by Jack Brown which costs around £5 - The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, a full history and notation. This is published by Jack Brown, The Cottage, Colton Rugeley, Staffordshire, WR 15 3LA. Jack Brown was also involved in the revival of The Lichfield Morris tradition. The book should tell you all you need to know and also has photo's from 1893, 1905 and other photo's
When I first saw the antlers in the church I was inspired to write a book - a fantasy fiction - Dance for Deeron based upon the Abobots Bromley event. It is amazing to see the dancers and so fabulous that they keep this ancient tradition alive. I hope Dance for Deeron will also play a part in preserving this part of our heritage.
Bless you.
jaynEwinslade 1 year ago
I am looking forward to watching all your folk custom films. A topic very dear to my heart!
Are you familiar with the mayor weighing ceremony at High Wycombe? I have a few photos of it on my Flickr account (same account name) though I have yet to film it.
Thorskegga 1 year ago
@Thorskegga weighing ceremony is definitely on the list for me to visit and has been for some time! (I looked at your Flickr account and you have some good photo's). I will post more videos on Youtube soon.
christopherhobson 1 year ago
Splendid, thanks for posting this.
Thorskegga 1 year ago
@Thorskegga thanks for the comment and for subscribing
christopherhobson 1 year ago
this years horns event will be held on september 7th with other local sides joining during the evening
carnutter360 2 years ago
This is very interesting stuff seeing as it could possibly be a survival of the CORNOVII (the "horn" people") a Celtic tribe's ancient cult. The tribe held territory 55km south of Abbots Bromley.
Brythonek 2 years ago
@Brythonek There's also good evidence that it's a survival of a pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon custom geared to promoting a good hunt. The antlers used are reindeer antlers, and older ones once used in this dance have been carbon dated to the 11th century. Earlier ones no doubt existed. The Anglo-Saxons were of course Germanic, with ties to Scandinavia and other regions where reindeer are found. Reindeer are not native to the British Isles, and the 11th century antlers would have been imported.
lichtbroeder 8 months ago
lol, I'm an American and I kind of have a dream to go through Great Britain and look at all ya'll's nutty traditions, this worth being there for?
castaspella169 3 years ago
Definitely worth going to. It starts early in the morning and goes on throughout the day. Don't miss any of it!
christopherhobson 3 years ago
Whats nutty about it? We have been doing things like this for thousands of years...
flute4hire 2 years ago 2
I know! I'm impressed with British people for being around so long. Nutty is better than boring believe me!
castaspella169 2 years ago 2
Comment removed
lichtbroeder 8 months ago
@flute4hire True! Not nutty at all, but delightfully human. Centuries ago this dance was likely connected to a good hunt and survival of the tribe. It wasn't entertainment in the modern sense. Many of our celebrations today are equally as "nutty". What other animals bring trees into their homes and hang things from them, or shoot explosives into the air and cry in unison, "Ooooh! Aaaaah!"?
lichtbroeder 8 months ago
The traditional antlers of this morris team are so old that the dear they came from is extinct in the British isles. Thats how old this traditional dance is...
flute4hire 8 months ago
@castaspella169 - Americans have nutty traditions, too, albeit not 1000 years old.
LAVirgo67 5 months ago
Fun to see, but I was surprised that you didn't dance to the tune, Abbot Bromley's Horn Dance, which I assumed was the "official" tune used for this ancient dance. Anyway, thanks for sharing!
kallegu 3 years ago
Not sure of that one. Perhaps someone from the dance side can explain that. I believe The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance tune is danced (by Thaxted Morris Men?) at the Morris Ring Meeting at Thaxted in early June, but The Abbots Bromley dancers don't use it.
christopherhobson 3 years ago
i have seen both my sister and my mother on this video and a lot of my relatives
madmosh456 3 years ago
is this the first horn dance you have been to? how old are you i am realtes to the late douglas fowell his last horn dance day was in 2006 did you know him he was my grandad i have gone every year since i was born.
madmosh456 3 years ago
This is the first and only horn dance i've been to but I intend to go again. Without revealing my age, I am, by the sound of it, older than you! I'm still young enough to Morris Dance though! Glad you liked the vid and interested to hear of your family connections.
christopherhobson 3 years ago
wow what time did you get up to see them set off
have lived there for ages but only ever seen them near the end of the day
LuvDaDoc 3 years ago
about 6 in the morning - so very early! missed them this year though so perhaps next year again.
christopherhobson 3 years ago
hey im glad to see some1 else taking an inetyrest in my families tradition who filmed this may i ask
mikegreb 3 years ago
Thanks for your comment. It's me that filmed it - christopherhobson. Great day. We'll be there again!
christopherhobson 3 years ago
A few questions: What's the relationship between this and morris dancing? The histories I've seen are extremely vague - has anyone done any real research on it? And the tunes on this video seem more modern than 13th century, so does anyone know what early songs were likely used in the earliest horn dances?
2206411411 3 years ago
im sorry but as far as i know tehre is no 13th century music and i can assure you that there has been a lot of reseach into this dance all through my family. As for morris dancing i do not know of any relationship the tunes were played by my great uncle doug and these are his adaptations of what was played beore him.
mikegreb 3 years ago
I found an English 13th century dance tune on YouTube (under 13th Dentury Medieval English Dance) but it probably isn't anything more than a crude approximation to what was used for the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance at that time. Do you have any recommended reading for the Horn Dance?
2206411411 3 years ago
There's a 27 page book by Jack Brown which costs around £5 - The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, a full history and notation. This is published by Jack Brown, The Cottage, Colton Rugeley, Staffordshire, WR 15 3LA. Jack Brown was also involved in the revival of The Lichfield Morris tradition. The book should tell you all you need to know and also has photo's from 1893, 1905 and other photo's
christopherhobson 3 years ago