[A few days ago I recalled a half formed memory - at the place I used to go to woodcraft folk and pre-school in the 1980's in Bristol (Windmill Hill City Farm) there was a tall wooden maypole in the outside play area - we where always told to keep away (I think it was a bit old and rotten).
This (and the need to protect May Day) prompted me to put together a post of where and when there were Maypoles in the Westcountry... If anyone could help by commenting here I would be very grateful...
I think they are more widespread than people realise.]
We had one at school! It was a tall metal pole I think, and covered in thick coloured fabric ribbons, they used to set it up in the school gym and teacher made us dance around it with alternating kids going one clockwise, one anti-clockwise and going under and over each other with the ribbons (you'd hold the ribbon high and the other kid would duck under the ribbon) til we ran out of ribbon and it made a pretty plait around the pole, great fun! I can't remember how old we were so i'm not definite which school I was at but I think it was probably Grass Royal in Yeovil. I don't remember if it was on May Day that we used it, but I remember using it at least a couple of times and each class was allowed to use it. We also went on a field trip somewhere where the kids were allowed to use the Maypole, a local historical house with people dressed up in historical costume etc, but can't remember where it was sorry :(
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