On Wakes Monday an event takes place in Abbotts Bramley called the Horn Dance. Two sets of dancers wearing reindeer antlers engage in a mock stag fight. This is repeated around the parish with an entourage that includes Maid Marion and a Hobby Horse.

The Abbotts Bramley Horn Dance takes place on Wakes Monday, the first Monday after the first Sunday after 4th September. So this year it would have been 10th September, this week in fact!

The  antlers are kept mounted on the wall at St. Nicholas Church where the dance starts early in the morning. The dance goes on throughout the day visiting houses and pubs but staying within the boundaries of the parish. It ends in the evening with a service back at St. Nicholas Church.

There are twelve dancers, six of whom carry the antlers. They are joined by a Hobby Horse, Maid Marion (a man dressed up), the fool (or jester) and a boy or girl carrying a bow and arrow. There are two musicians, one plays a triangle (normally a youngster) to help keep time and an Accordion player, although this used to be a fiddle in days gone by.

When one of the horns was damaged, a splinter was carbon dated and was shown to date back to the 11th Century.

It is believed that the dance was originally performed at the Berthelmy Fair which dates back to 1226 when Henry III granted permission for the fair to take place. Today the dance attracts a large crowd and there is a fair on the village green which includes Morris Dancing. 

More information about the dance and its history can be found here.

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