Shirenewton Local History Society
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Programme |
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Programme 2008
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Resource sessions will be held in the Recreation Hall, Shirenewton. In order to coincide with the time of membership renewal, the programme will in future run from August to August.
Vistors are welcome (fee of £1.00)
Membership from £5.00 per annum. Family & Pensioner concessions. Visitors welcome
The skull was mounted on a pole and via an arrangement of rods the jaw could be opened and closed by the person hidden under a blanket. She was led from house to house at the head of a procession of revellers, who would sing Welsh songs in exchange for gifts of coins, cakes and beer.
To gain entry to a house the Mari Llwyd had to exchange rhymes and witty repartee with the occupants. Once inside, her supporters sang, ate drank, and swept through every room to drive out evil spirits. One can imagine that some housewives would have preferred to keep their evil spirits!
The custom was particularly strong in the Caerleon area, surviving up until the 1930s. The revellers would walk as far as Newbridge on Usk and Goldcliff in the course of their celebrations. Interest has revived recently and for the last three years Chepstow has had its own Mari Llwyd. She will be stalking the town on Saturday January 19th. She is likely to be in the Bridge Inn about 6.30 and the Castle Dell 7.30pm. Preliminary to this, pupils of Ysgol y Ffin will take their own Mari Llwyd to the Bandstand at 3.00pm |
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© Shirenewton Local History Society 2007 - 2008 Hosted by www.shirenewtonchurch.com as a community service |
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