Annual Events 2024
The Snowdrops are in full bloom and that of course means that it’s that time of the year when I begin the task of updating the list of annual events that feature The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green and The Green Man throughout the UK.
The full list is HERE and I will be updating it regularly. Confirmations of events are beginning to come in thick and fast. You will find links to each events own website or Facebook page on our annual events page so that you can check details on times and locations.
Please do get in touch if you are an organiser or follower of a particular event and can confirm that it is going ahead and I will ensure that I promote your event within these pages.
If you are new to these pages and are wondering just what on earth a Jack in the Green is then your whistle stop tour of the history of the Traditional Jack in the Green can be found right HERE.
And everything that you need to know about the modern revived Jacks can be found HERE
My thanks to Hugh Lawrence for permission to use his wonderful picture of last years Bristol Jack in the Green above.
Annual Events 2023 – UPDATE
It’s May Day and all the wonderful annual events that feature The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green and The Green Man have begun throughout the UK.
The updated list of all of this years events can be found HERE You will find links to each event’s own website or Facebook page so that you can check details on times and locations.
If you are new to these pages and are wondering just what on earth a Jack in the Green is then your whistle stop tour of the history of the Traditional Jack in the Green can be found right HERE.
And everything that you need to know about the modern revived Jacks can be found HERE
I’m only one person and sadly can’t visit and photograph every Jack in the Green each year and so I rely upon our members and followers to send me pictures of the Jacks that they spot each year – Please do send me your pictures via our Twitter account or directly via the contact page on this website HERE
Here’s to a fantastic Jack in the Green season!
Annual Events 2023 – UPDATE
It’s less than a week now until the wonderful annual events that feature The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green and The Green Man begin throughout the UK.
The updated list of all of this years events can be found HERE and there are just a couple of event confirmations left. You will find links to each event’s own website or Facebook page so that you can check details on times and locations.
Please do get in touch if you are an organiser or follower of a particular event and can confirm that it is going ahead and I will ensure that I promote your event within these pages.
And a reminder that it is the Hastings Jack in the Green’s 40th Anniversary this year and all existing Jacks in the Green are formally invited to join the Hastings Jack in the Green for the celebrations.
If you are new to these pages and are wondering just what on earth a Jack in the Green is then your whistle stop tour of the history of the Traditional Jack in the Green can be found right HERE.
And everything that you need to know about the modern revived Jacks can be found HERE
I’m only one person and sadly can’t visit and photograph every Jack in the Green each year and so I rely upon our members and followers to send me pictures of the Jacks that they spot each year – Please do send me your pictures via our Twitter account or directly via the contact page on this website HERE
Here’s to a fantastic Jack in the Green season!
Annual Events 2023
The Snowdrops are just beginning to peek through and so it’s finally that time of the year when I begin the task of updating the list of annual events that feature The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green and The Green Man throughout the UK.
The list is HERE and I will be updating it regularly. Confirmations of events are beginning to come in thick and fast. You will find links to each events own website or Facebook page on our annual events page so that you can check details on times and locations.
Please do get in touch if you are an organiser or follower of a particular event and can confirm that it is going ahead and I will ensure that I promote your event within these pages.
And a reminder that it is the Hastings Jack in the Green’s 40th Anniversary this year and all existing Jacks in the Green are formally invited to join the Hastings Jack in the Green for the celebrations.
If you are new to these pages and are wondering just what on earth a Jack in the Green is then your whistle stop tour of the history of the Traditional Jack in the Green can be found right HERE.
And everything that you need to know about the modern revived Jacks can be found HERE
Annual Events 2022 Update 30/04/22
It’s nearly here and I am very pleased to say that the list of confirmed events that feature The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green or The Green Man throughout the UK is looking extremely full!
The list is HERE and I will be updating it regularly. You will find links to each events own websites or Facebook pages on our annual events page so that you can check details on times and locations.
Confirmed events so far are:
April 29th -May 1st
Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green – Friday 29th April – Monday 2nd May
Highworth May Market and Jack in the Green – Saturday 30th April
Guildford Summerpole and Jack in the Green – Saturday 30th April
Bovey Tracey Green Man Festival and Jack in the Green Saturday 30th April
Ilfracombe Jack in the Green – Sunday May 1st
Hammersmith Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Bluebell Hill (Rochester Sweeps) Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May (and at the sweeps festival)
Fowler’s Troop (Deptford) Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Oxford Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Boss Morris Morris Jacky-in-the-Green – Sunday 1st May (will be seeing dawn in at Butser Ancient Farm)
Winchcombe Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Evercreech Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Oak House Museum Green Man Day – Sunday 1st May
Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare Morris) Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
May 2nd Monday
Whitstable Jack in the Green – Monday 2nd May
Clun Green Man Festival – Monday 2nd May
May 7th Saturday
Bristol Jack in the Green – Saturday 7th May
Knutsford May Day – Saturday 7th May
May 14th Saturday
Bradford on Avon Jack in the Green – The Green Man festival is now back on! – Saturday 14th May
Yaxley Jack-in-the-Green – Saturday 14th May
May 30th Monday
Castleton Garland Day – Monday 30th May
July
Pilton Green Man Festival – Saturday 16th July
The Islington Milk Maid’s Garland will not be out on May Day this year but will be attending Hastings JITG
Please do get in touch if you are an organiser or follower of a particular event and can confirm that it is going ahead and I will ensure that I promote your event within these pages.
A brand new knee limits my travel plans this year so please, please do send me photographs of as many Jacks as possible.
If you are new to these pages and are wondering just what on earth a Jack in the Green is then your whistle stop tour of the history of the Traditional Jack in the Green can be found right HERE.
And everything that you need to know about the modern revived Jacks can be found HERE
Annual Events 2022 Update 23/04/22
I am very pleased to say that the list of confirmed events that feature The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green or The Green Man throughout the UK this late April and all of May is looking extremely full!
The list is HERE and I will be updating it regularly. You will find links to each events own websites or Facebook pages on our annual events page so that you can check details on times and locations.
Confirmed events so far are:
April 29th -May 1st
Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green – Friday 29th April – Monday 2nd May
Highworth May Market and Jack in the Green – Saturday 30th April
Guildford Summerpole and Jack in the Green – Saturday 30th April
Bovey Tracey Green Man Festival and Jack in the Green Saturday 30th April
Ilfracombe Jack in the Green – Sunday May 1st
Hammersmith Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Bluebell Hill (Rochester Sweeps) Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May (and at the sweeps festival)
Fowler’s Troop (Deptford) Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Oxford Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Winchcombe Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Evercreech Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Oak House Museum Green Man Day – Sunday 1st May
May 2nd Monday
Whitstable Jack in the Green – Monday 2nd May
Clun Green Man Festival – Monday 2nd May
May 7th Saturday
Bristol Jack in the Green – Saturday 7th May
Knutsford May Day – Saturday 7th May
May 14th Saturday
Bradford on Avon Jack in the Green – Green Man festival cancelled but Jack will be out – Saturday 14th May
Yaxley Jack-in-the-Green – Saturday 14th May
May 30th Monday
Castleton Garland Day – Monday 30th May
July
Pilton Green Man Festival – Saturday 16th July
The Islington Milk Maid’s Garland will not be out on May Day this year but will be attending Hastings JITG
Please do get in touch if you are an organiser or follower of a particular event and can confirm that it is going ahead and I will ensure that I promote your event within these pages.
A brand new knee limits my travel plans this year so please, please do send me photographs of as many Jacks as possible.
If you are new to these pages and are wondering just what on earth a Jack in the Green is then your whistle stop tour of the history of the Traditional Jack in the Green can be found right HERE.
And everything that you need to know about the modern revived Jacks can be found HERE
Annual Events 2022 Update – Jack’s Back!
The list of confirmed events that feature The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green or The Green Man throughout the UK this late April and all of May and beyond is growing day by day!
The list is HERE and I will be updating it regularly. Confirmations of events are beginning to come in thick and fast and it looks like things will get back to something like normal after the events of the last two years. You will find links to each events own websites or Facebook pages on our annual events page so that you can check details on times and locations.
Confirmed events so far are:
Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green – Friday 29th April – Monday 2nd May
Bluebell Hill (Rochester Sweeps) Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May (and at the sweeps festival)
Fowler’s Troop (Deptford) Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Oxford Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Bristol Jack in the Green – Saturday 7th May
Winchcombe Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Knutsford May Day – Saturday 7th May
Evercreech Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Highworth May Market and Jack in the Green – Saturday 30th April
Whitstable Jack in the Green – Monday 2nd May
Ilfracombe Jack in the Green – Sunday May 1st
Clun Green Man Festival – Monday 2nd May
Bradford on Avon Jack in the Green – Green Man festival cancelled but Jack will be out – Saturday 14th May
Guildford Summerpole and Jack in the Green – Saturday 30th April
Yaxley Jack-in-the-Green – Saturday 14th May
Castleton Garland Day – Monday 30th May
Pilton Green Man Festival – Saturday 16th July
Oak House Museum Green Man Day – Sunday 1st May
Bovey Tracey Green Man Festival and Jack in the Green Saturday 30th April
Hammersmith Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May (Technically still TBC but pretty likely unless Daleks invade or Ragnarok occurs)
The Islington Milk Maid’s Garland will not be out on May Day this year but will be attending Hastings JITG
Please do get in touch if you are an organiser or follower of a particular event and can confirm that it is going ahead and I will ensure that I promote your event within these pages.
A brand new knee limits my travel plans this year so please, please do send me photographs of as many Jacks as possible.
If you are new to these pages and are wondering just what on earth a Jack in the Green is then your whistle stop tour of the history of the Traditional Jack in the Green can be found right HERE.
And everything that you need to know about the modern revived Jacks can be found HERE
Annual Events 2022 – Jack’s Back!
It’s finally that time of the year when I begin the task of updating the list of annual events that feature The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green or The Green Man throughout the UK.
The list is HERE and I will be updating it regularly. Confirmations of events are beginning to come in thick and fast and I really hope that things will get back to something like normal after the events of the last two years. You will find links to each events own websites or Facebook pages on our annual events page so that you can check details on times and locations.
Confirmed events so far are:
Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green – Friday 29th April – Monday 2nd May
Fowler’s Troop (Deptford) Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Bristol Jack in the Green – Saturday 7th May
Winchcombe Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Knutsford May Day – Saturday 7th May
Evercreech Jack in the Green – Sunday 1st May
Whitstable Jack in the Green – Monday 2nd May
Clun Green Man Festival – Monday 2nd May
Bradford on Avon Green Man Festival – Saturday 14th May
Yaxley Jack-in-the-Green – Saturday 14th May
Castleton Garland Day – Monday 30th May
Pilton Green Man Festival – Saturday 16th July
Oak House Museum Green Man Day – Sunday 1st May
Please do get in touch if you are an organiser or follower of a particular event and can confirm that it is going ahead and I will ensure that I promote your event within these pages.
If you are new to these pages and are wondering just what on earth a Jack in the Green is then your whistle stop tour of the history of the Traditional Jack in the Green can be found right HERE.
And everything that you need to know about the modern revived Jacks can be found HERE
Happy New Year
I would like to wish all members and followers of The Company of the Green Man a Happy New Year and all the very best for 2022.
I would also like to thank everyone for their continued support and best wishes whilst The Company of the Green Man continues in a temporary semi-dormant state whilst I concentrate on starting my own business and becoming one of the great self-employed. I was made redundant just prior to the start of the pandemic at the end of 2019. not a great time to start your own business but things are going well and I love what I do.
Whilst I don’t have the time to update the gazetteer, Flickr archive or produce the e-newsletters I am still trying my best to keep my finger on the pulse of the Green Man and the Traditional Jack-in-the-Green and hope to be attending as many events as possible (fingers crossed) this year. I will also do my best to keep this blog as fresh as possible and try to provide the most up-to date information on this years events as well as Green Man sightings. I have updated our events page ready to start providing dates for this years events HERE
My thanks to Charlie Waters for posting the above picture of the 2021 Carshalton Straw Jack and allowing it to be shared, what a great record of the event.
Whilst it was another very unusual year there were still a wonderful number of Jacks sighted during 2021, they were:
- The Hammersmith Jack-in-the-Green
- The Hastings Traditional Jack-in-the-Green
- The Boss Morris Jacky-in-the-Green
- The Whitstable Jack-in-the-Green
- The Bradford on Avon Jack-in-the-Green
- The Winchcombe Jack-in-the-Green
- The Carshalton Straw Jack (September)
The Oxford Jack was reproduced in collage form again last year.
The Evercreech Jacks head was decorated by the local community and displayed for all to see.
The Lions Part sadly had to cancel their 2021 October Plenty and 2022 Twelfth Night Celebrations but as always provided some wonderful online content.
There were also many mini Jacks who appeared last year including ones from
- The Deptford Fowler’s Troop Jack-in-the-Green
- The Dead Horse Morris Jack-in-the-Green
- Lots of Hastings based Mini – Jacks
As always if you spot any that I have missed or have any pictures of last years Jacks please do send them in.
Hopefully this year will see many more Jacks come back to life and I very much hope to attend some much missed annual events and meet up with some old friends again.
All the very best
Chris Walton
Yuletide Greetings
Salisbury Cathedral Copyright © The Company of the Green Man
It’s that time of the year when the Santa hatted green man from Salisbury Cathedral puts in his annual appearance on our blog!
Wishing all members and followers of The Company of the Green Man a Very Merry Yule. My thanks to everyone for all the contributions and support during 2019.
The next newsletter is being lovingly crafted and will hopefully be with you some time over the festive period.
The Green Man in Stone
Rob Stephens, artist extraordinaire, new grandad and creator of our fabulous logo dropped me a line to tell me that his stone carver brother Shaun has got the green man bug. Rob sent me these pictures of his incredible workmanship. The paler coloured one is a piece of stone that came out of the restoration work at York Minster. There must be a cathedral out there somewhere who would like their very own new Green Man?
Yuletide Greetings
Salisbury Cathedral Copyright © The Company of the Green Man
Wishing all members and followers of The Company of the Green Man a Very Merry Yule. My thanks to everyone for all the contributions and support during 2018.
Here is a picture of my favourite seasonal Green Men from the roof of Salisbury Cathedral…I’m still convinced he is wearing a Santa hat!
Andrew Findlay – Blacksmith
Blacksmith Andrew Findlay kindly sent me this picture of an incredible Green Man that he crafted. Andrew wrote “One I made using blacksmithing techniques which I thought may be of interest. I became a blacksmith because the process of creating in the forge is spiritual, alchemical and elemental all at the same time. A magical experience. Using the transforming fire we shape a sterile, cold and hard material into beautiful and permanent organic forms.”
You can see more of Andrews work at http://www.andrew-findlay.com
The Rumford Morris Jack-in-the-Green
Rumford Morris Men and Royal Liberty of Havering 1977
The history of the revival of the Jack in the Green in the 20th Century is extremely complicated as anyone who has read my article The Traditional Jack in the Green will know. Some revivals were linked directly with or inspired by others whilst many popped up completely unconnected. Every now and then I discover another little piece of the jigsaw puzzle. I was really surprised and delighted when Paul Woloschuk contacted me to let me know about the Green Man that his old Morris side used to have and to send me the wonderful pictures on this post.
Paul wrote “Rumford Morris Men from Essex used to have a Green Man (which we called Jack in the Green) back in the mid-1970s. Our Jack in the Green wore a boiler suit (dyed green) upon which were sewn dozens of cotton strips of differing shades of green cut into the shape of Oak leaves. The leaves were cut from sample material cadged from a Laura Ashley shop. So, the material was not only different shades, but was of various pattern (striped, paisley etc.) Jack also wore a pith helmet adorned with long strips of the same material hanging down and covering his face and extending down to his chest. Apparently, it was extremely warm to wear, and Jack often had to be refreshed with lots of ale to prevent wilting! Jack was the idea of one of our members. The bloke who appeared as Jack left the side after four or five years, and nobody carried on with the character.”
Trying to work out where this Jack fitted I asked Paul if they had any connections with Greenwood Morris or the Earls of Essex both of whom started Jacks in the 1970’s? Paul confirmed that “We had no historic connections with any local traditions or other sides. Jack was out with us from May Day throughout the summer. We didn’t know Greenwood Morris, but we often danced with the Earls of Essex (and I used to play regularly with the wonderful late Dave Roberts from the Earls both in ceilidh bands and at Folk Camps).
So it would seem that this is another example of those wonderful Jacks that sprang out of nowhere in the 1970s. I would love to hear from anyone who can fill in more detail on any of the Jacks or indeed make any corrections to my article.
Rumford Morris Men canal trip Stoke Bruerne Northamptonshire 1979
20 Years Young!
I still can’t quite believe that 2018 marks 20 years of The Company of the Green Man! Ronald Millar wrote the book “The Green Man Companion and Gazetteer” in 1997 and in a note at the back of the book invited interested people to join The Company of the Green Man. Keen and eager upon reading his freshly printed book and with an avid interest in Green Men I wrote to Ron in early 1998 and asked to join the Company, to be told that I had caught him slightly unprepared. The book had gone out earlier than he had anticipated and the Company did not yet officially exist. And thus (with a little bit of encouragement) in 1998 The Company officially began. Ron’s first newsletter was published in September 1998.
20 years and 43 newsletters later The Company is still going strong with nearly 800 members worldwide. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our members and followers for their contributions and encouragement over the years, without you The Company of the Green Man would not exist.
Here’s to the next 20 years!
#FolkloreThursday Article
Rochester Sweeps Festival Jack-in-the-Green 2017 © Clem RutterMy Traditional Jack in the Green article has gone live today on the wonderful #FolkloreThursday website www.folklorethursday.com
My thanks to Dee Dee and the team for featuring it and helping to raise the profile of this magical living tradition #jackinthegreen
Amanda Bates – Green Man & Lady
Amanda Bates is an artist, based in Kingsclere north Hampshire, with a growing interest in the tradition of the Green Man. One of the things to spark that interest was a chance visit to St. Peter’s in Upper Wolhampton, West Berkshire, where she found a delightful pair of Victorian Green Man stone carvings on the exterior of the church that were previously undiscovered.
Amanda didn’t have a camera with her so instead recorded them in pencil (above). Amanda then created the wonderful pictures accompanying this post using Acrylic Ink on rough watercolour paper, entitled Green Man & Green Lady.
Amanda wrote: “The faces are Victorian (the church was rebuilt in 1857) and, with their surroundings of leaves, the gentleman’s leafy moustache and the vegetation emerging from the lady’s mouth, are in the Green Man tradition. I fancy that they might represent the local landowner and his wife.”
My thanks to Amanda for getting in touch and sharing her incredible work with us. You can see more of Amanda’s work on her website: www.amandabatesart.co.uk All pictures copyright © Amanda Bates
Sightings – St Telio’s Church, South Wales
St Telio’s Church, St Fagans National History Museum © Derek Penrose
I’m grateful to Derek Penrose for letting me know about this Green Man with a fascinating history and for sending in this wonderful picture. St Telio’s Church was originally located at Llandeilo Tal-y-bont, Glamorgan in Wales. It was built in the late 12th century and furnished in 1530. Between 1984 and 1985 the whole church was dismantled and moved to St Fagans National History Museum.
The following is from St Fagans own website:
“St Teilo’s church is believed to have been built during the late 12th or 13th century on the site of an earlier Celtic church. Over the ensuing centuries the building was altered and extended.
The oldest parts of the present structure are the nave and chancel. During the 14th century, small chapels were built onto the north and south sides of the chancel, and during the late 14th or early 15th century the church’s capacity was increased by the addition of an aisle to the south side of the nave. The old south wall was replaced by two arches, with a third arch opening into the chancel, and finally, a porch was added to the entrance door leading into the south aisle of the church.
The roof timbers are of typical early fifteenth century design (arch-braced collar-beams), though they may in fact be slightly later in date. The west wall of the nave was altered in the early 18th century (datestone 1736) and in 1810 the interior was furnished with box pews and a three-decker pulpit. Most of the stone-mullioned windows appear to have been blocked up at this time, and were replaced by new ‘Georgian gothic’ lancet-shaped windows. One original two-light stone-mullioned window (14/15th) survived in the south aisle. Probably the oldest surviving feature of the church is the stone font which is believed to date from the 13th century or earlier.
St Teilo’s church has been refurbished as it may have appeared about the year 1530, complete with all the elements associated with a late medieval Catholic church, including a rood screen and loft (between the nave and chancel), altars, carvings and brightly-coloured paintings on all the walls.”
You can find more information about St Telio’s Church and all of the wonderful Historical Buildings at St Fagans National History Museum here: https://museum.wales/stfagans/
Sightings – St Mary’s, Scilly Isles
Sideboard from the wreck of the Thomas W Lawson – copyright © Vanessa Piggott
My thanks to Vanessa Piggott for sending in this picture of a cast iron Green Man on a sideboard she discovered in St Mary’s Museum on the Scilly Isles. The sideboard is from the wreck of the Thomas W. Lawson a seven-masted, steel-hulled schooner used to haul coal and oil along the East Coast of the United States. She was launched in 1902 and holds the distinction of being the largest schooner and largest sailing vessel without an auxiliary engine ever built. The Thomas W. Lawson was destroyed off the uninhabited island of Annet, in the Isles of Scilly, in a storm on December 14, 1907, killing all but two of her eighteen crew and a harbor pilot already aboard. Her cargo of 58,000 barrels of light paraffin oil caused perhaps the first large marine oil spill in history.
Yuletide Greetings
Salisbury Cathedral Copyright © The Company of the Green Man
Wishing all members of The Company of the Green Man and all visitors to our blog a fantastic Yuletide Season. (And yes it is a real Green Man – No photoshopping!)
The Armouring of Gawain (Clive Hicks-Jenkins)
The Armouring of Gawain – Gouache and pencil on paper © Clive Hicks-Jenkins
Clive Hicks-Jenkins is devising a series of fourteen prints based on the medieval verse drama, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – a classic vividly translated for the 21st century by Simon Armitage. Clive has kindly given me permission to reproduce one of the images on our blog each month.
Clive’s work often features some wonderful representations of the foliate Green Man. If you can track down a copy of Marly Youman’s wonderful book “The Foliate Head” I highly recommend it for Marly’s beautiful poetry and Clive’s wonderful illustrations of The Green Man that appear throughout the book.
You can find more information on Clive’s website: http://www.hicks-jenkins.com
Gawain and the Green Knight: Clive Hicks-Jenkins
Crown of Leaves. Gouache and pencil on gessoed board. © Clive Hicks-Jenkins
Gawain and the Green Knight: Clive Hicks-Jenkins and the Penfold Press
The Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff
Thursday 8th Sept – Saturday 1st Oct, 2016
In collaboration with Dan Bugg of Penfold Press, Clive Hicks-Jenkins is devising a series of fourteen prints based on the medieval verse drama, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – a classic vividly translated for the 21st century by Simon Armitage. The exhibition will present the first seven prints, marking the half-way stage in this major project, together with paintings and drawings on the theme.
Art commentator James Russell writes of the series:
“The story is the kind you might find in The Mabinogion. Sir Gawain is more human than your average legendary hero. Having taken up the challenge offered at the Camelot Christmas feast by the terrifying Green Knight, he embarks on a quest to find this ogre, only to be tested – and found wanting – in unexpected ways. Sir Gawain is both a glittering knight and a fallible young man, and it is this flawed human character that intrigues Clive. Each print is inspired by the text and rooted stylistically in its world, but beyond that Clive and Dan have allowed their imagination free rein.”
You can find more information on Clive’s website: http://www.hicks-jenkins.com
The Green Knight’s Head Lives. Screenprint. Edition of 75 © Clive Hicks-Jenkins
The Green Man: A powerful image lives on – Muriel Fraser
We all know how fast and far a good tune can travel. Shortly after the haunting melody of “Lili Marleen” was heard broadcast to among German troops in WWII, it was eagerly adopted by Allied ones. And think, too, of the travels of a song which began as “God preserve Franz the Kaiser”. This lovely tune by Haydn was recycled as “Deutschland, Deutschland über alles” and eventually appeared as the hymn, “God who touches earth with beauty”.
Just as a catchy tune travels, so does a powerful image. The ornate leaf masks or foliated heads, now often called the “Green Man”, were developed by Roman artists in connection with nature gods like Dionysus and the satyrs. But this image was too good to end with Roman paganism. In the Middle Ages, as the pageants of chivalry became widespread, Green Men appear with increasing frequency in Christian churches, too.
A clue to this is offered by a ritual from 16th-century Sweden. There we find a May Day jousting contest between Winter and Summer. The idea was to dramatise — and help advance — the coming of spring. The two sides in the tournament were clothed accordingly. Duke Winter was “clad in various pelts and armed with pokers, scattering ice and snowballs to prolong the cold”. His opponent, Count Floral, was “garbed in the green boughs of trees, together with leaves and flowers”. Of course, whatever the weather on the day of the tournament, “and to everyone’s joy, the victory is awarded to Summer”. [1]
This gives us a glimpse into the mediaeval meaning of faces decked with foliage. No longer were they Roman gods, but harbingers of spring. And, of course, spring in the metaphorical sense, was a central theme in Christianity. It applied to both the rebirth of the soul in heaven and the general Resurrection of the Dead. As such, the foliated head had a firm claim to its place in Christian churches.
But the transformations didn’t end there. The Green Man could represent, not only the resurrection of the soul, but also the rebirth of the Christianity during the Reformation. This seems to be why the Reformers adopted it initially. (However, they soon backed off from this transformed satyr. After all, they were the ones who liked to accuse the Catholic Church of being “pagan”.) But at first, presumably as a symbol of the rebirth of the church, a Green Man appears in a portrait of Martin Luther by Cranach the Elder, also on the title page of Luther’s petition to the Papal Council in 1520, and even in his church in Wittenburg. [2]
Mediaeval people loved symbols precisely because they regarded them as having magic power. This symbol is simple, vivid, and closely connected to people’s hopes and fears: to their longing for the return of the sun — to a “springtime” through resurrection — and, for some, to a new and reformed Christianity. It’s no wonder that the Green Man, in its various guises, survived for two millenia.
1. Olaus Magnus, Description of the Northern Peoples (1555), Volume 2, 15:9.
2. Clive Hicks, http://www.geomantie.net/article/read/6093.html
Highworth 2016 Jack-in-the-Green
© Terry Portsmith – Highworth 2016 Jack-in-the-Green
My thanks to Terry Portsmith for permission to use the picture above of this years Highworth Jack-in-the-Green, and my thanks to Paul Baskerville of the Bang to Rites Drummers for sourcing it for us.
The Highworth Jack in the Green was started in 2006 when the Wiltshire town celebrated the 800th anniversary of it’s market charter on 22nd April 2006. The Highworth Jack in the Green is now an annual tradition as part of the annual May Market. The Jack is accompanied by the Bang to Rites Drummers a group of community based performance drummers, based around the borders of Wiltshire, Oxfordshire & Gloucestershire who formed in the summer of 2013.
It has long been my hope to be able to obtain at least one picture of every Jack that goes out across the UK (and beyond) each year to add to our online Flickr archive and provide a visual record of this wonderful tradition for generations to come. At least twenty one Jacks went out this year and I’m extremely grateful to everyone who has helped me to gather pictures of thirteen Jacks so far.
I’m still trying to track down pictures of eight Jacks from this year. If you can help and have the copyright owners permission please get in contact via the ‘Contact us’ tab at the top of this blog. Copyright of any pictures added to our archive always remains with the original photographer and pictures are only ever used with permission of the copyright owner.
The eight Jacks I’m still looking for pictures of from 2016 are:
- Ilfracombe Jack-in-the-Green
- Winchcombe Jack-in-the-Green
- Knutsford Jack-in-the-Green
- Yaxley Jack-in-the-Green
- Brentham Jack-in-the-Green
- Bovey Tracey/Grimspound Morris Jack-in-the-Green
- Kentwell Hall Jack O’Green
- Wythenshawe Hall Jack ‘O’ Green
If you haven’t seen a Jack-in-the-Green yet this year there is still at least one more to come. The Carshalton Straw Jack is a celebration of Harvest that takes place in September each year. The straw Jack is ritually stripped in the evening so that all present can take a keepsake and then he is burnt in a brazier. It is hoped that he will be burnt as a complete figure one year. The date for this event is still to be confirmed but you can visit the website here: Carshalton Straw Jack
The Company of the Green Man 