Abbots Bromley is a small, old village in the heart of Staffordshire, England. It has become renowned for its annual “Horn Dance.”
This is so freaking cool. It puts one in mind of THE WICKER MAN (the original classic, that is, starring Sir Christopher Lee, not that travesty of a remake with Nicolas Cage), where the pagan rituals of the past are still alive and well on the island of Summerisle—and that includes the practice of human sacrifice. While nobody gets killed at the annual “Horn Dance” celebrated in the small village of Abbots Bromley in Staffordshire, England, there are numerous other similarities. The villagers even include a hobby horse in their celebration.
The celebration of the Horn Dance continues despite the fact that no one remembers exactly what it is they are supposed to be celebrating. Some say it’s to commemorate the granting of hunters’ rights to the villagers in the Middle Ages. Others attest it is a far older occurrence, dating back to pagan, perhaps prehistoric Britain. I concur with this latter. Regardless of its origins, the Dance continues on every “Wakes Monday” (the first Monday after September 4th each year.) But what exactly is it they are trying to awaken with this ritual—or hoping to keep sleeping? Would anything happen if they skipped a year?
