Our resident investigator of Nottingham's weird history, Matthew Blaney, delves into the story of the Wellow Maypole...
Welcome to May, a month where people dance around tall wooden poles decorated with flowers, greenery and ribbons. It’s rather clear to see that we Brits seem to love a good ol’ fashioned wayward tradition. Whether it’s risking every single limb for a wheel of cheese in Gloucester, apologising profusely for any minor inconveniences caused to a stranger, or even the infamous ‘cob’ debate, we’ve definitely got some quirky ones. Nottingham, as expected, is no stranger to the cause with a particular interest in preserving unsafe, swirly, barber-shop post looking poles. Or as locals in Newark refer to it; The Wellow Maypole, which in its time has experienced its fair share of hardship.
Whilst the date of its first construction is unclear, its first recorded sighting dates back to 1835 and since then, has been replaced multiple times for a few peculiar reasons. In 1860, the Maypole had to be replaced as it is believed to have been sawn down during a debaucherous night out. Obviously, kebab shops weren’t as popular back in the 1860s so a bit of lumberjacking was the clear alternative. But seriously, where did they store this 60ft pole? I can just about order an Uber after a session, never mind manual labour.
My advice would be to attend this year’s May Day celebrations in Wellow as there is a good chance that in the next ten years it will be reduced to the height of a parking bollard
A ‘freak accident’ took place in 1910 when the wooden pole was burned down after fireworks had been stacked around the base of the pole. Unfortunately, the fireworks were prematurely ignited and the pole burnt down. I find the term ‘freak accident’ to be used incorrectly given the context, as I fail to see the freakish nature of a wooden pole burning down when strapping explosives to its base.
Concerns surrounding the pole’s height have often been a troubled part of its history. In 1937, it was deemed unsafe as it stood at 60ft tall and was then reduced to 20ft. It was then chopped down for safety reasons several times across the next fifty years, with its final height standing at seventeen metres high in 2011. My advice would be to attend this year’s May Day celebrations in Wellow as there is a good chance that in the next ten years it will be reduced to the height of a parking bollard.
Maypoles across the country are often used as part of May Day celebrations around the late Spring Bank Holiday. With Wellow’s pole being one of only a few left standing in England, it is an event well worth visiting this May with intricate traditional ribbon dancing taking place alongside live music and games, with food and drink stalls dotted around the village. But just remember, if you happen to notice any bears knocking around by a big yellow triangular shaped building, or Florence Pugh dressed in a bouquet of flowers, please leave the area and don’t consume any pastries offered to you.
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