"Plowsilver" - A Plough Monday Procession at Tilney All Saints
Plough Monday in Swaffham Prior 1929
Plough Monday, the first Monday after Twelfth Night, was a day observed throughout the Eastern Counties. On Plough Monday (the first Monday after Twelfth Night), farmworkers were supposed to return to work after Yuletide Celebrations, but they didn't. In many towns and villages the farmworkers dragged the village plough around the houses, singing, molly dancing and begging for money.
We have collected information about Plough Monday in the village of Tilney All Saints through an examination of the churchwarden's accounts. Money was received to maintain a village plough, which was suspended in the church, between the years 1443 to the late 1550s. The first reference in the Tilney Churchwarden’s Accounts for 1443 says 8 shillings and 10 pence was “Receperunt cum aratro”. This is of course in Latin as it predates the Reformation and Google Translate tells us that the Latin translates as, “When received by the plow.” Apparently, this amount would have been the equivalent of almost £500. In some years they did even better, in 1473 they collected 12s 4d. Records for 1489/90 suggested that monies were collected by taking the plough round the whole town and by 1503/4 the ceremony was name "Plowmunday" in the church accounts and 2 years later the collection was termed "Plowsilver". Around this time, significant amounts of money and bread were given to the poor from the collection on Plough Monday. The language changes to English at the beginning of the 16th century at which time the amount collected becomes half that of earlier years. Blomefield said that the Reformation stopped the burning of plough lights but the farmworkers carried on the tradition, keeping the money for themselves.
We have collected information about Plough Monday in the village of Tilney All Saints through an examination of the churchwarden's accounts. Money was received to maintain a village plough, which was suspended in the church, between the years 1443 to the late 1550s. The first reference in the Tilney Churchwarden’s Accounts for 1443 says 8 shillings and 10 pence was “Receperunt cum aratro”. This is of course in Latin as it predates the Reformation and Google Translate tells us that the Latin translates as, “When received by the plow.” Apparently, this amount would have been the equivalent of almost £500. In some years they did even better, in 1473 they collected 12s 4d. Records for 1489/90 suggested that monies were collected by taking the plough round the whole town and by 1503/4 the ceremony was name "Plowmunday" in the church accounts and 2 years later the collection was termed "Plowsilver". Around this time, significant amounts of money and bread were given to the poor from the collection on Plough Monday. The language changes to English at the beginning of the 16th century at which time the amount collected becomes half that of earlier years. Blomefield said that the Reformation stopped the burning of plough lights but the farmworkers carried on the tradition, keeping the money for themselves.
Pupils from Tilney All Saints Primary School and Anthony Curton Primary School re-created a "Plowsilver"Procession through the village of TIlney All Saints on Monday 13th January, 2020. This was followed by dancing, singing and a service at The Church.
|
Images: Plough Monday 2020, LuminArt Photography
|
Resources
Song - Farmer's Boy