Hundreds of people descended on a Cotswolds village and braved the biting cold on Boxing Day to witness an ancient Christmas custom.
The Marshfield Mummers, also known as the Old Time Paper Boys, perform a traditional Boxing Day play in Marshfield village, featuring paper costumes, heroic combat, and centuries-old folk customs in the South Gloucestershire village, close to the Wiltshire border, nestled on the Cotswold Way.
The Marshfield Mummers perform a folk play annually on Boxing Day in the village. The performance is led by the Town Crier, who guides the group around the village’s High Street and Market Place. The play is a short hero/combat tale, typically involving the death and subsequent revival of a protagonist by a character known as the Doctor, alongside figures like Saucy Jack, Father Beelzebub, and occasionally Father Christmas. Unlike some theatrical performances, the Mummers perform in a serious, traditional style, maintaining historical customs passed down through generations.
The origins of the Marshfield Mummers date back more than 200 years, though the precise dates aren’t certain – there are references to the Napoleonic Wars. In the 1930s Rev Alford discovered lines from the play spoken by his gardener, and it was revived with direct links to the older tradition. Folklorists such as Violet Alford assisted in formalising the group, often referred to as the ‘Paper Boys’ because of their costumes made from strips of newspaper or cloth.
Pictures by Matt Bigwood
