| Where: | Goathand, Yorkshire - Starting at the Reading Rooms on the Green |
| When: | A Saturday mid-Month (officially the Saturday following Plough Monday but sometimes the weekend after) |
| Time: | 10 am onwards |
The Goathland Plough Stots are a traditional longsword dance team with a history at least a couple of hundred years long; they have 6 dances each with its own tune and are accompanied by a fool and musicians. Expect to see them “lock” swords in the traditional way.They host their traditional Day of Dance in January starting with a parade from the Reading Room then performing throughout the day at locations around the village. The name “Plough Stots” is derived from the ancient practice of the dancers performing on Plough Monday (the Monday after 6th January, when work resumed after the Christmas season) – now they perform on the Saturday following, which is around the middle of the month.
Helpful Hints
In 2024 the Day of Dance was on Saturday January 13th- 2025 date is yet to be confirmed.
Look out for the memorabilia display at the Reading Rooms which charts the history of the Plough Stots.
There are several sides with dancers of all ages. If you’re there at the start, the teams perform together – later in the day they split up to tour the village. When we went in 2012 we had other commitments later on so sadly couldn’t make a day of it, but you could follow the dancers all day long.
Click here for the event website : http://www.goathlandploughstots.co.uk/
and here for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/183994174954527/#_=_
I have information on Skelton Green sword dancers as my father was a member,I have tried an email address for Keith Thompson but the message came back as undeliverable
Hi Tina,
Keith is an Admin on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/183994174954527/#_=_ so you should be able to get your info to him that way (it’s the Plough Stots Facebook page)
Best of luck!
Averil
I am not a member of Facebook
Hi Tina,
I can send a private message to Keith on Facebook with your email details on asking him to email you? I don’t have any other way of reaching him but hopefully that should work- let me know if you’d like that and I’ll send one (it won’t be visible to the general public)
Averil
Thank you , I am quite ok about Keith getting in touch with me at my email address
Hi Tina,
I’ve just passed your details on to Keith so fingers crossed!
Averil