The Straw Bear of Whittlesea
Each January, a man completely covered in straw is led through a town in the Fens on a chain, dancing for money and beer. At the end, the straw is burned.
What was reported
On Plough Monday, the first Monday after Twelfth Night, farm workers in the Fens of eastern England used to go round dressed up to collect money. In Whittlesey, one of them was covered head to foot in straw and led around on a rope or chain as a 'straw bear', dancing in front of houses.
The custom died out in the early 1900s, partly because police saw it as begging, but it was revived in 1980. Today the Straw Bear festival is held each January, with dancers, music, and the burning of the bear's costume at the end.
Explanations offered
The custom's origins are unknown. Like other animal disguises of midwinter, it may come from old rituals to mark the end of the Christmas season and the start of the farming year. Similar straw figures appear in Germany and elsewhere.
- When
- Every January; revived in 1980
- Where
- Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
- Witnesses
- Townspeople and visitors
- Status
- Folk custom
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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