Castleton Garland Day

Castleton Garland Day or Garland King Day is a lovely tradition held on the 29th of May in English town of Castleton, Derbyshire. It commemorates the restoration of King Charles II in 1660.

Castleton Garland Day

At midday the locals start making the Garland. On the bell-shaped wooden frame they put numerous flowers. On top of the frame especially fine flowers are placed. This part is known as the queen. Everything is rather slow so the next stage starts in the late afternoon. The Garland, weighing about 25 kilograms, is put on the man called King. He is sitting on a horse. Also riding is the Queen. She is wearing the Stuart costume.

They are accompanied by the Castleton Silver Band and the group of school girls wearing white clothes. They carry small "maypoles". The procession moves through the town. They stop at different places like for example local pubs. At each stop the girls perform the version of morris dance.

Everything ends with maypole dance performed at the town's Market Place. The above mentioned part of Garland called Queen is put on the war memorial.