Pictures: Garland Day in Lewes

Members of The Knots of May perform on Garland Day. Photograph: J Fleming

The annual Garland Day in Lewes took place on Bank Holiday Monday (May 7).

The colourful event is organised by women’s morris group The Knots of May, named from the tradition of gathering knots or garlands of flowers to mark the arrival of spring.

Each year the event includes a flower garland competition for children, morris dancing and a procession.

Proceedings got under way at the castle’s Gun Garden at around 10.15am, continuing with the procession and dancing in the Cliffe precinct from 11am and then further dancing at the John Harvey Tavern and The Dorset Arms.

The Knots of May president Gill Phillips said of the event: “It went very well.

“We had very good weather, which always helps.”

She said there were about 28 entries for the garland competition, which was judged by Mayor of Lewes Michael Chartier with assistance from Lewes District Council vice-chairman Johnny Denis, and that the public were ‘lining the streets’ for the celebration.

Guest teams performing this year were Ditchling Morris and Winterbourne Morris, a new children’s team made up of pupils from Southover School, in Lewes.

The traditional celebration dates back to the Victorian times and was revived in the early Eighties by the dancers.