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unusual facts about Castleton Garland Day


Castleton Garland Day

In the late afternoon the Garland King and his female consort (confusingly, sometimes mistakenly referred to as "The Queen", but formerly simply "The Lady"), dressed in Stuart costume, mount their horses.


Festive ecology

Accounts of other traditional customs on 29 May are usually linked to Royal Oak Day (Oak Apple Day) and include the surviving customary rights in Grovely Wood at Great Wishford, Wiltshire, and Garland King Day at Castleton (Derbyshire).

Oak Apple Day

The Garland King who rides through the streets of Castleton, Derbyshire, at the head of a procession, completely disguised in a garland of flowers, which is later affixed to a pinnacle on the parish church tower, can have little connection with the Restoration, even though he dresses in Stuart costume.


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