Did you know that May Day celebrations were briefly banned in the 16th century? This provoked riots and fourteen rioters were hanged. But Henry VIII is said to have pardoned a further 400 who had been sentenced to death. The May Day festivities then all but vanished during the interregnum (1647-1660) that followed the Civil War when the Puritans took control of the country. Describing maypole dancing as ‘a heathenish vanity generally abused to superstition and wickedness’, legislation was passed which saw the end of village maypoles throughout the country. It was restored after the restoration of Charles II. Fortunately, we are now allowed to celebrate this ancient custom!
The Archbishop’s Palace Conservation Trust (APCT) hosted a Mayday celebration on Monday 1st May (which is a bank holiday), bringing this historic tradition, with which inhabitants of the palace would have been familiar, to Otford.
A Maypole was set up on Palace Field, for local children (and adults) to dance around. There were also be Morris Dancers and a re-enactment of the banning of May Day and its reinstatement. This video shows the opening ceremony with the re-enactment.

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