Brief History of Tradition
The village of Ducklington supported an elaborate Whit-Monday ceremony known as the 'Peeling Horn Ceremony', in which the young men of the village made horns which were used as part of the Whit Hunt in Wychwood Forest. They joined residents from other villages (Hailey, Witney, Leafield and Crawley), who were allowed to hunt, kill and retain a stag during Whitsuntide.
At 3 a.m. on Whit-Monday the young men of the village cut withies from which they removed the bark. This was rolled up into three funnel shaped horns by pinning the bark with thorns (e.g. blackthorn). A double reed of willow was fitted into the narrow end, which enabled the horn to make a loud hooting sound.
The village was roused by this sound at 4 a.m. and all participated in erecting a pre-assembled maypole, which in total measured some 40-ft. The maypole was decorated with 'laycocks and golden chains'. Once assembled the Morris was danced around it; this was thought to be associated with worship of the vegetable world.
The maypole stayed in position all week with the Morris being danced around it every morning and a 'youth ale' held in the evening in a barn. The ale consisted of several barrels of beer, with Morris dancing through the night.
These customs were rigorously adhered to and there is an account of an argument arising from the failure of one side to dance round the maypole on Whit Tuesday before going over to Bampton. A village elder threatened to cut the maypole down if they didn't dance.
Ducklington was stylised by Roy Dommett from the manuscripts of Cecil Sharp and Clive Carey. There are some similarities in style with Bampton, and no stick dances. Ducklington dancers also had a sword and cake ceremony.
It was Joe Marns introduced Ducklington into the Icknield Way Morris Men after attending a tuitional at Wokingham organised by Roy Dommett and Tubby Reynolds. This was in the late 70's and provides a fairly direct link with the Sharp and Carey manuscript interpretations.
Dances Performed by Our Side
