Yorkshire Maypoles
No.6 GAWTHORPE
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Yorkshire Maypoles
No.6 GAWTHORPE
from The Barwicker No. 32
December 1993
"Where is this village called Gawthorpe?", you ask. Perhaps
one day, Reader, you may wish to find us. If that urge overtakes
you, come on Easter Monday when the Maypole Committee organise the
Annual World Coal Carrying Championship. Or preferably, come on
the first Saturday in May, 1994, when the May Queen and her
attendants ride an horseback, accompanied by decorated floats, over
a 4~ mile course around the village. Then for the 119th successive
time, she is crowned on the village green and the children dance
round their small maypole. We were once part of the borough of
Ossett. Ye are now described as somewhere near Wakefield, that
metropolitan authority being our administrative centre.
What makes this village famous? Why, it is our maypole. We
cannot tell you when a permanent maypole was first erected but we
know that there was one there on the village green in 1840 because
that was the year that the nearby villagers of Chickenley with
their friends, the Streetsiders, came and cut it down, carried it
away and put it behind 'The Waggon and Horses' public house.
So carried away were they with their success that they let it
be known that they were coming to dig up the stump. This time the
men and youths of Gawthorpe were waiting. Such a fight took place
that many were badly injured. It was only through the intervention
of the womenfolk that order was restored. The result of this
ferocious battle was that Gawthorpe was without a maypole far 35
years.
In 1875, a committee was formed to restore the maypole and
village pride. In April of that year a fir tree 70 ft. long was
purchased and transported from Hull. It was then painted in bands
of red, white and blue surmounted by a weathercock and the four
cardinal points of the compass. Prior to its erection, the
argument arose as to where did the maypole actually stand on the
village green. It was settled by bringing onto the green the
oldest lady in the village. She prodded around the green with her
walking stick and after a while said, "Dig there!". Sure enough the
stump was revealed. There the new maypole was erected and a maypole
has stood on or as near as possible to this spot ever
since. The last time it was replaced was 1986.
If you do decide to visit us on the first Saturday in May, you
will see what can be achieved when a community works together.
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