Mari Lwyd

Lore & Background

The Mari Lwyd consists of a horse's skull decorated with ribbons, affixed to a pole, with a white sheet concealing the carrier. Sometimes the head was made of wood or paper, and the jaw could be made to snap via strings. The custom was performed at dusk during Christmas and New Year, varying by village, and in one account from Gower the head was buried all year except for the season.

The party included four to seven men, often with ribbons and rosettes, a Leader with a staff, and stock characters like Punch and Judy with blackened faces. They would sing to request entry, and householders would sing back excuses in a musical battle called pwnco. If the householders relented, the team entered for food and ale. Inside, the Mari Lwyd would neigh and snap its jaws, causing havoc while the Leader pretended to restrain it.

Reader's Guide

The Mari Lwyd is significant as a distinctive Welsh variant of the broader British wassailing tradition, with its earliest known record in 1800. Its etymology remains debated: folklorist Iorwerth Peate argued it meant 'Holy Mary,' while E. C. Cawte favored 'Grey Mare,' noting parallels with Irish and Manx 'White Mare' customs. Earlier folklorists like Peate and Ellen Ettlinger believed it had pre-Christian origins, but scholarly support has declined due to lack of evidence. The custom declined in the early to mid-twentieth century due to opposition from some Christian clergy and changing social conditions, but was revived in new forms later in the century. It has inspired artistic works by painter Clive Hicks-Jenkins and poet Vernon Watkins.

Did You Know?

• The custom involves a sung debate called pwnco between the party and householders.
• The etymology of 'Mari Lwyd' is debated: 'Holy Mary' or 'Grey Mare'.
• In one account from Gower, the horse's head was kept buried all year except for Christmas.