Twelfth Night -The Weird and Wacky Folk Tradition of The Haxey Hood

Monday January 5, 2009

Nobody is quite sure how the Haxey Hood began but it has been going on between the villagers of Haxey and Westwoodside, in North Lincolnshire, for at least 700 years. Looking a bit like a Rugby scrum on mega steriods, it involves all the biggest, strongest men of both villages - and some of the gamest girls - in a pushing and shoving match for possession of the "hood". There's a "fool" and "boggins" and a Lord of the Hood and, of course, it all begins and ends with rowdy pub songs and lots of beer. Hundreds of people look on and occasionally get caught up in "the Sway".

It takes place tomorrow - so if you're around North Lincolnshire way, pop over to Haxey for a wild afternoon.

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