| Where: | Minehead |
| When: | May 1 (and the days around it to a lesser extent) unless 1 is a Sunday (see Helpful Hints) |
| Time: | All day from 5am at the Quay |
May Day in Minehead is the main event for the two Hobby Horses who tour the town : the Sailors Horse and the Town Horse. They are 8 foot long canvas covered frames carried by masked men, with swinging rope tails. The history of the custom dates back hundreds of years and they perform over a short season starting on April 30th accompanied by musicians and money-collectors called Gullivers. On April 30th they start off at 6pm at the Quay outside The Old Ship Aground pub; on May 1st the action starts from dawn also at the Quay, followed by a tour of Dunster from 6pm at the Butter Cross; on 2nd and 3rd they meet at 6 again at the Quay.
Helpful Hints
Here’s the schedule for 2024:
Even in pestilence ridden 2020 and 2021 the event organisers kept the tradition going in a select socially distanced way! Check the Facebook link below for all the details and timings.
The Horses never appear on Sundays (it’s their day of rest) so if the festival period covers a Sunday, it is missed out and proceedings begin again on the Monday instead. If you’re in the area just turn up and hunt around in the High Street/Harbour area and listen carefully…if you hear music with melodeon and drums run after it and chances are you’ll find them.
To find out more click here : https://www.facebook.com/Originalsailorshorse/
and for a video of the Town Horse click here (thanks to Hayden England for the video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=151FiRCKCbg
I just wanted to know if you can ad about my crew the town horse thank you
Hi Hayden,
Thanks for making contact!I’ve added a link on the site to your Youtube video – hope that’s OK. Maybe you could send me a still photo to add to the site (I’ll give your attribution of course) and if you have a website for your horse that can be put on, too.Just let me know!
Best Wishes,
Averil
I used to play for the town horse before I moved away and would like to do so again. Does anyone have a contact number for it, please?
Hi Jacqui!
I haven’t any phone numbers but have passed on your email address to Hayden England who is involved with the crew for the Town Horse and sent me a video link for the website some time ago(hopefully the contact email I have for him is still working!)
Best of luck!
Averil
I was born and grew up in Dunster, the hobby horse used to come up our road down the Marsh and into the school playground, I was terrified of it as soon as I heard the drum I would hide under my brothers beds until it had gone, every year was the same, I dreaded the beginning of May. Rumour had it if you stepped on his tail which was said to be around the carriers neck, it would chase you. I eventually left Dunster with my family but we all go back on a regular basis as it is still home no matter where we live. I took my sons down to see the hobby horse and it still made me nervous, old memories coming back I suppose. It is one of the oldest and nicest traditions belonging to Dunster and Minehead, long may it continue even if it does terrify the kids.
Thanks for sharing your memories Anita- Sounds like a rite of passage for all the local kids! Long may it last 🙂
Averil