Helston flora, midday furry dance please feel free to sharecommenttag or like, this photo and any other photos from my facebook page. Floral day in helston is the time to perform the furry dance which everyone will tell you is an ancient custom whose history is lost in the mists of time. Find out what to do on the day itself, for example dance times and parking. The couples walk along and then dance round together. A series of dances are performed throughout the day starting at 7am at the guildhall with the early morning dance, followed by the traditional performance of the halantow at 8. The character of the furry dance has been carefully preserved through the. The date of the festival coincides with the feast of the apparition of st. Our guest blogger today is gillian nott, a cornishwoman and key member of the guild of strawcraftsmen.
All of our music books feature easytoplay tunes, mostly in the key of c. The furry dance pronounced to rhyme with hurry, also known as the flora or incorrectly as the floral dance or the cornish floral dance, takes place in helston, cornwall, and is one of the oldest british customs still practised today. Uncategorized, halantow, helston furry dance, may day, 0. These are processional dances that is, they dance them in a long line through the town, and they are danced by the people of helston at the annual festival. Marshalls book is a fascinating document of a musical obsession that covers. The origins of the dance are certainly prechristian and are connected with.
Flora day occurs annually, on 8 may except when the date falls on a sunday or monday monday being market day when it is the preceding saturday helston hosts the furry dance. The helston floral dance is an annual carnival held on the 8th may, but if it falls on a. Hayle, west cornwall and helston railways library of railway history by g. Helston flora day is one of the oldest surviving may customs celebrating the end of winter and coming of spring. The only time it moves off the 8th is if it falls on a sunday or monday but that. There is easy access from here to the picturesque fishing village of porthleven and the unspoilt beaches or. One of the most famous of all traditional british festivals is floral or flora day or more correctly as the furryfrom the cornish fer latin feria, a fair, rejoicing holy day. Helston furry dance celtic fiddle music georgia nettleton. May bank holiday switch means helston flora day 2020 will be a public holiday. Several dances throughout the day are led by a brass band. The most famous furry dance takes place in helston, cornwall, uk. Perhaps helstons greatest claim to fame is the internationally famous festival of the furry, or flora dance. The childrens dance is performed by students dressed in white.
This is held every year on may 8th unless that day falls on a sunday or monday, when it is held on the preceding saturday. This is the ancient furry dance and was, in the past, reserved for the gentry of helston and the surrounding district. The tune below is the traditional favorite for the furry dance. Perhaps helston s greatest claim to fame is the internationally famous festival of the furry, or flora dance. Participation is still by invitation only and there is no greater honour for a helstonian than to be. After almost a whole century my grandfather william frederick ivey passed peacefully away at his home in helston on 4th october 2000 aged 97. The title may refer to the helston furry day festivities, held at. Like it at some time by someone who does not know the history of the helston song. Helston furry dance harmony sheet music arrangement by celtic fiddle music georgia nettleton, released 03 april 2015 1.
Beyond doubt, the furry has been danced at helston for centuries by all. Troyls, furrys and tea treats the cornish dance tradition merv, alison and jowdy davey. Historical folk toys, llc is pleased to offer a variety of music books to accompany the folk instruments we carry. The helston floral dance is an annual carnival held on the 8th may, but if it falls on a sunday or monday the event is held on the preceding saturday. The springtime celebration in helston is known as the furry dance, which i can only suppose she altered because she didnt want to give the impression that. This is the longest dance of the day and follows a.
Dancing and flowers at the traditional helston furry day. Gillian is a staunch and very early member of our stonewylde community, and shes contributed hugely to bringing stonewylde to the attention of the. The procession still takes place annually on may 8th, old may day or furry day as it is calledfrom the latin feria meaning holiday. In spring every year the furry dance takes place in helston. Frequent customs about the author feedback guest book terms of use. The furry dance, or flora day as it also known usually takes place on 8 may each year in the town of helston in cornwall. The instructions for the dance are published by cecil sharp in english country dance as the helston furry processional dance on p. Helston furry dance one of the most famous of all traditional british festivals is floral or flora day or more correctly as the furryfrom the cornish fer latin feria, a fair, rejoicing holy day. An account of its origin and celebration, with the music of the ancient furry dance. Helston on cornwall lizard peninsula is most famous for the furry or floral dance. Helston town band play all the music for the dances. The nearest saturday to the 8th may sees the population of helston in cornwall swell as the crowds gather for the annual furry dance the dance has nothing to do with animals or their hides, its odd name is either derived from floral or the cornish word feur meaning fair. Helston is perhaps most famous for the furry or floral dance held on the 8th may, unless this falls on a sunday or monday when it takes place on the preceding saturday.
May bank holiday switch means helston flora day 2020 will. Helston lies at the western gateway to the lizard peninsula, a large helston market town famous for its flora day festival and the many stories and legends about the furry dance are told in. In keeping with the historical nature of our business, we have made available popular and celebrated songs and tunes for children as well as adults from many countries and time periods. The former stannary and cattle market town is best known for the annual furry dance known locally as the flora dance, said to originate from the medieval period. Alfred hickling joins in with the cornish floral dance. Helston, cornwall starting at the guildhall in the town centre when. The book gives a brief introduction to the history of helston, but essentially. Ms of couples dancing, they are dressed in elegant clothes, the band is in the background.
The helston flora day ancient furry dance 111 1 a performer with the halantow pageant takes part in a performance as part of the helston flora day celebrations on may 8. The date of the festival coincides with the feast of the apparition of. What he left behind was a legacy of local history illustrated in the books that he published during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Dancing begins at 7am when the early morning dance takes to the streets. Helston furry day is a local festival that has its roots far back in history. When you buy this download, youll receive a pdf of the sheet music, scored for three violins with chords. A history of dance in cornwall, from the earliest references in cornish literature to the dances of the folk revival today, collected by noted musicians and. In the past this has been mistakenly called the floral dance, but this is now the name by which this celebration is most widely known.
It is the most southerly town in mainland united kingdom, and it acts as a gateway to the lizard peninsula. Hellys is a small market town in the south west of cornwall which is famous for its flora day celebrations and furry dance on or around the 8th may each year. Angels, from the realms of glory from the cornish song book ralph dunstan n. On flora day the streets are thronged with thousands of visitors and theres a carnival atmosphere all day and into the night. This unique and strangely named festival celebrates the christian feast day of st michael. That is a modern storyart song about someone finding the dancers and band at helston, who were dancing the furry dance something that has happened every year, since time immoral.
From hones every day book on the 8th of may, at helston in cornwall, is held what is called the furry. Watershed, helston, saint anthony updated 2020 prices. If you visit helston in cornwall and ask one of the locals about the famous furry dance, youre likely to hear the following story. Helston, cornwall, england, uk places librarything. Although there are several theories no one really knows where the celebrations all began. White dresses abound as townsfolk young and old dance their way in and out of shops and around the town. In the domesday book, helston is, referred to as henliston and king john. In several continental and eastern mediterranean counties labyrinthian dances are celebrated. Thousands of people danced through the streets of helston in cornwall today to mark the ancient tradition of flora day. It began as a celebration of the passing of winter and it usually takes place on 8th may. There are four dances throughout the day, the first starting at 7 a.
Helston flora day is one of the oldest surviving may customs celebrating the. Participation is still by invitation only and there is no greater honour for a helstonian than to be asked to lead the dance. Also known as cornish floral dance, the cornish floral dance, flora dance, the flora dance, floral dance, the floral dance, furry dance, the furry dance. Helston is ideally located for exploring south west cornwall and the lizard peninsual, helston has plenty for visitors of all ages. According to ronald hutton, the first mention of any mayish activities in helston is in 1600, but the dance is the last surviving cornish processional dance of which there were once many. Celebrating other spirituality 365 days a year helston. Flora day occurs annually, on 8 may except when the date falls on a sunday or monday monday being market day when it is the preceding saturday helston hosts the furry dance there are four dances throughout the day, the first starting at 7 a. The furry dance tradition and when it happens at helston flora day. The helston furry dance has been added to 1 tune set. The towns people, dressed in formal attire, dance in and out of the streets and houses as a sign of welcoming the. Information about flora day, such as history of the furry dance. The 8th of may is furry day in helston, cornwall, a springtime festival of floral decoration and dancing, captured beautifully in this charming amateur film. Helston flora day is a tradition to celebrate the arrival of spring in cornwall and usually takes place at the beginning of may. Helston furry dance this is my three part harmony arrangement of the traditional tune from cornwall helston furry dance.