| Where: | Newark on Trent, Notts in the Market Place outside the Queens Head then at pubs around the town, and North Muskham, Notts at the Ferry Inn on Ferry Lane (see Helpful Hints) |
| When: | Saturday in early January |
| Time: | From 12 noon-12.30 start at Newark, 3pm-3.30ish at North Muskham (timings may be a little flexible- see Helpful Hints!) |
The Muskham Pinkies are keeping their mummers Plough Play alive in January each year, carrying on a tradition dating back to the sixteenth century and probably beyond. Their play is a hero/combat wooing play with a revival by the Doctor and is performed in rhyme with characters such as the Recruiting Sergeant, Thrashing Blade and Eezum Squeezum. Also there may be dances by Rattlejag Morris, who are particularly associated with Plough Monday celebrations and whose name comes from the rattles that the plough boys used to enhance their dancing.
Helpful Hints
The performance of the play lasts around ten minutes and it’s usually carried out twice at least at Newark and once at North Muskham. The group often perform two different plays, sometimes interspersed with dances from Rattlejag and the performances lasted just over half-an-hour altogether when we went.
In 2026 it was on Saturday January 10th starting in the Market Place in Newark then moving to pubs around the town (probably The Wheatsheaf, The Kings Head, The Rupert) then to North Muskham around 3.30 pm. It moves a little in date from year to year, but is usually the first Saturday of the month, or sometimes the second in the month. 2027 details are yet to be announced.
In 2019 it was on Saturday 12th January and the locations used were at Caunton and North Muskham (not Newark) but 2020 saw a return to the usual start at Newark followed by the Ferry Inn at North Muskham. The date, times and location are often announced very near to performance, and also they may be subject to change at short notice.
Click here to find the full schedule (select Muskham Pinkies) : http://www.mastermummers.org
i saw the play at the ferry inn as i didn’t want to go to Newark with my dog.
well worth a visit some Sheffield carols were sung and the play of about 10minutes was performed a little after 1.30.
Rattlejag danced a Bacca pipe (which I’ve never seen before) and were still dancing when I walked my dog up the riverside,well after 2 pm.
North Muskham is very easy to find being just off the A1 and the ferry inn has a large carpark nice food and drink, this is a very suitable event for all ages and this is the first plough play i’ve seen and i’m hoping to get to see some others.
the only advertising i saw for this was a small poster in the entrance to the pub. Could have done with a bit more!
The pink is will be performing the plough play, are performing this coming Saturday, the 11th of January; 12 o’clock Newark, notts, marketplace and then in 4 pubs. Then back to the home village North Muskham for performance roundabout 3 pm.
Hi David,
Many thanks for the helpful info which I’ll put on the site right away. If it’s OK, maybe next year I can contact you a bit further in advance for the schedule then I can get the info out there a bit sooner? That would be great.
Happy New Year!
Averil
Pinkies performances of the Muskham Plough Play, will be on Saturday, 10th January 2026. 1230hrs to 1pm in the market place, Newark Notts, then on to several pubs, probably The Wheatsheaf, The Kings Head, The Rupert. Then back to North Muskham final performance, circa 1530hrs.
Many thanks Dave- I’ve added the details under the Helpful Hints section on the website. Break a leg! as you thespians say 🙂
Best wishes,
Averil