Pinkies keep ancient play alive

An ancient play dating back to Elizabethan times was performed at two pubs on Saturday.

The Muskham Pinkies put on their annual plough play at The Crown Inn, Bathley, and The Muskham Ferry, North Muskham.

They were joined by the Rattlejag Morris dancers and musicians of Retford.

The performances were free to watch and donations were collected for a prostate cancer charity.

The play, performed in rhyme, recounts the story of the four seasons and is a celebration of Mother Earth.

It featured seven members of the Musk-ham Pinkies, who have performed the play each year since 2000.

Mr Paul Cotter, of Muskham Lane, Bathley, played the Recruiting Sergeant; Mr Ian Harrison, of Trent Close, North Muskham, played Lady Bright and Gay; Mr Simon Symcox, of Ferry Lane, North Muskham, played the Doctor; Mr Keith Baines, of Waltons Lane, North Muskham, played Tom Fool; Mr Darren Whitfield, of The Park, North Muskham, played Eezum Squeezum; Mr Dave Haslam, of Grantham, played the Thrashing Blade; and Mr Malcolm Peet, of Brant Broughton, played Little Clown.

The play is first documented in 1597 when plough boys were summoned before a court after a vicar complained because they ploughed up the churchyard.

It was in response to the vicar’s disapproval of the play, which they performed for beer or money and to cheer up the community after Christmas.

Mr Haslam, formerly of North Muskham, said the plough boys appeared in court in their costumes and the judge allowed them to continue the tradition.

“The plough boys have an ancient right to do this and nobody can stop them,” he said.

“This goes back to fundamental English rights to do as you please as a free-born Englishman.”

Mr Haslam said the script they used for the play, which lasts about ten minutes, came from a recording in 1957 by the late Mr Bill Gascoyne, of North Muskham.