Monthly Sessions
Session Tunes
Special Events 2005
Special Events 2006
Special Events 2007
Special Events 2008
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Imbolc (Candlemas)
 | The ancient agricultural festival of Imbolc, which welcomes the return of the sun and the onset of spring, was briefly celebrated at the January session at Ye Olde George Inn. As this rustic festival coincides with Candlemas, the Christchurch Folk musicians performed the Candlemas Eve Carol with words by the 17th century poet Robert Herrick.
At this time the anticipated return of the fertile Earth Mother was traditionally heralded by her appearance in the guise of a Corn Baby made from the final sheaf of the previous year’s harvest. Named Brigid, after the Celtic goddess of regeneration, it was customary for this corn doll to be attired in female clothes and paraded around the community before being ploughed back into the fields to assist the growth of the new crop.
Our Brigid doll was duly welcomed and presented at the session, and was subsequently interred as tradition dictates at Tutton's Well.
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Beltane (May Day)
 | As spring has matured into summer, so the Corn Maiden has come of age and is ripe for marriage and motherhood, and the promise of her future fruitfulness is becoming apparent everywhere in the growth of tree blossom and fresh green shoots.
This long-awaited end of winter and the start of summer was marked at the April session at Ye Olde George Inn by the Green Man ‘bringing home the May’, a decorated branch of the hawthorn or May tree. His entrance was accompanied by the Helston Furry (the original Cornish May Day street dance version rather than Terry Wogan's Floral Dance!) Also performed was the rousing Cornish May Day song Hal An Tow and the well-known seasonal song of green willow and romantic fidelity All Around My Hat.
A few early-rising Christchurch Folk musicians also celebrated the May Day sunrise (albeit a rather grey and rainy one...) in the company of Bourne River Morris at the Cross Keys, Mannington.
Lastly, remember:- Cast ne'er a clout (discard none of your winter thermals...) till the May be out!
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Live in the Courtyard
 | The historic courtyard of Ye Olde George Inn is once again the venue for these annual alfresco sessions. Christchurch Folk stalwarts Alan & Heather extend an open invitation to all local and visiting folk musicians to come along and join in. The Christchurch Festival, which has dance teams performing around the town and music in a marquee on Quomps, takes place over the same weekend.
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Tutton's Well - Well Being Day
 | Sketch drawn and kindly donated by Jill Fry.
The sun shone brightly on Saturday 8th July for the second annual Well Being Day, which began with the Floral Crown being carried to the Well accompanied by Christchurch Folk musicians playing the Cornish ceremonial march Quay Fair. Once in place on the Well the Crown was adorned with flowers to symbolise a mind that seeks joy and beauty.
Marilyn Brown then led a thanksgiving meditation inspired by the flowing journey made by water to reach a well-spring.
Christchurch Folk musicians provided the entertainment throughout the communal picnic, which also had local therapists Darci Swift, Jacqueline Kelly, and Nicci Evans offering Indian head massage and reflexology.
The core feature of the day, the Bubble Blessing at the Well, provided the opportunity to celebrate the simple miracle of being alive, with the ability to experience and shape the universe.
More entertainment was provided by the Mudeford Melody Makers community choir, led by Bobby Burke, singing a selection of popular folk songs. The Christchurch Folk musicians and Mudeford Melody Makers then collaborated to accompany the U3A International Folk Dancers as, led by Janet Mason, they encouraged everyone to join them in a series of joyful circle dances to conclude the day.
To learn more about Tutton's Well - Well Being Day please see last year's details (Special Events 2005).
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Crowning Ceremony
 | The Floral Crown being accompanied by Christchurch Folk musicians, led by Green Man fiddle-player Ted Davies, playing the Cornish ceremonial march Quay Fair - 8th July 2006.
Photo: Tony Burrows
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Floral Dressing
 | The Floral Crown being decorated whilst Christchurch Folk musicians play in the background - 8th July 2006.
Photo: Tony Burrows
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Lughnasadh (Lammas)
 | The festival of Lammas is derived from the Anglo-Saxon for 'Loaf Mass' and celebrates the start of harvesting. It is the time to honour the fruitfulness of the Corn Mother, for the fields are now swaying with her golden children. However, within weeks there will be nothing left except the apparently barren earth and the hope that Anu, the great Earth Mother of the Celts, will give her rebirth in the Spring.
The Irish feast of Lughnasadh is said to have been instigated by the heroic Lugh to honour his foster-mother - evidently another manifestation of the great Earth Mother - who died of exhaustion after clearing a huge area of woodland in readiness for growing corn.
Although it was commonplace to celebrate the start of harvest, it was also customary to to celebrate the swift and successful harvest at Harvest Home. Perhaps to chasten the lazy, it was generally considered unlucky to be the reaper to cut the last sheaf, which was commonly known as the 'Old Woman' or 'Hag'.
Christchurch Folk marked the occasion at the July session with a Corn Mother and bread supper. The popular song The Star of the County Down, which refers to the Harvest Fair, was performed. The Harvest Home hornpipe was also played.
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Samhain (Hallowe'en)
 | The ancient agricultural Wheel of the Year has now returned to the festival of Samhain, known to us as Hallowe’en, which marks the start of both Winter and the Celtic New Year.
With the harvest gathered and the cornfields barren we must accept the Spirit of the Corn as Hag - the name commonly given to the last sheaf to be harvested - represented by a broomstick. She has become Black Anne, and she lives on in modern tradition as a Hallowe’en witch.
It was likely that many farm labourers would find themselves out of work at this time of year. If unable to secure new employment at the Michaelmas Hiring Fairs they might have been compelled to go from door to door, perhaps disguised in outlandish costumes and carrying turnip lanterns, to perform mumming plays or Souling Songs in return for a little money or food. These rustic mummers were exploiting the custom for a household to offer Soul Cakes, a small spicy bun or biscuit, to all callers during Hallowtide. The giving of Soul Cakes seems to be a relic of the pre-Reformation belief that alms-giving would help secure the release of souls from Purgatory.
Baskets of home-made Soul Cakes were on offer at the October session - and as some redundant farm hands (members of the Mudeford community choir) happened to come a-souling it is to be hoped that a few more souls were indeed liberated!
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Ducking Stool
 Christchurch Folk session regulars Rainbow Tree, a recently formed female a cappella singing group and off-shoot of the Mudeford Melody Makers community choir, will be making their non-session debut this Yule. The lively local lassies will be singing carols and seasonal songs during a Christmas High Tea being held at The Ducking Stool Tea Rooms in Ducking Stool Lane (close to the ducking stool), Christchurch.
The High Tea starts at 3.00pm on Tuesday 19th December and includes finger sandwiches, cakes, and mince pies. The cost is £9.50 per person. Please call Nick or Jane 01202 485779 for bookings.
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Yule-tide
 | The return of the sun and the gradually lengthening days was celebrated at this special Yule-tide session at Ye Olde George Inn. The evening saw a superb buffet, a whimsical selection of hats, and a performance of Christchurch's own almost traditional mumming play.
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Almost Traditional Mumming Play
 | Sadly, there is no known traditional mumming play for the Christchurch area, so a new one featuring the conventional characters of Old Father Christmas, St George, a Turkish Knight, and a restorative Doctor, has been conceived by four members of Christchurch Folk. This almost traditional play has been performed at various venues in Dorset and Hampshire over the Yuletide season.
It is generally believed that these plays, common in various forms throughout the country, portray the eternal struggle between the power of Light and the power of Darkness – a conflict that is temporarily resolved at the winter solstice. It is a story much repeated in folklore and myth, as in the Ancient Egyptian legend of the fertility god Osiris being killed and mutilated by his brother Set, then restored to life by his faithful consort Isis.
Most mumming plays conclude with a plea for money, ostensibly to pay the Doctor’s fee. In times past this probably helped impoverished farmhands survive the lean days of winter, but modern mummers usually donate their takings to charity. This year the Christchurch Folk mummers raised £170 in support of Julia’s House, a local children’s hospice.
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