The Media Archive for Central England is the public screen archive for the East and West Midlands. An independent charity and company based at the University of Lincoln, MACE acquires, catalogues, preserves and makes widely available moving image materials that inform our understanding of the diverse cultures and histories of communities between the Lincolnshire coast and the Welsh border.
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Central News: 12.09.1983: Horn Dance
The Abbots Bromley horn dance: is it an ancient fertility custom or just a bit of English rural fun?
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Overview
Carbon dating has proved that the horns used by the folk dancers of Abbots Bromley are over 1,000 years old. The 'why?' and even the 'how?' remain much more obscure as generations of men from the Staffordshire village keep the tradition alive. They're joined this year by sceptical Central News reporter John Swallow who arrives with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.
The horn dance of Abbots Bromley is performed on Wakes Monday in September. Written records of its origin are non-existent but it may have its roots in the middle ages.
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