As the southernmost city in all of the United Kingdom, Helston and its ten thousand or so citizens often get the reputation for being a bit "less British" than most of their fellow countrymen. This is an ill-founded stereotype, especially considering the fact that, with an age of over eight hundred years, Helston is the second oldest city in all of Cornwall. The fact of the matter is that Helston still has ties to its esteemed historical roots and many of its festivals that occur yearly date back to medieval origins, making Helston in fact one of the most British cities in all of the United Kingdom.
Among these traditions, the famed Flora Day is easily the most well-known. Each year, on the eighth of May, the hugely popular Furry Dance occurs. Dancers gather in the city square to take part in the four dances that occur throughout the day. The first dance begins at seven in the morning as the ladies don summer frocks and the men wear white shirts and gray pants. This dance is intended for the "tradesmen" and similar working-class men and women. The next dance occurs at 9:50 in the morning but this dance is specifically for the children. When 9:50 rolls around, the kids all leave their respective schools to dance in the city streets, dressed in white. At noon, the so-called "gentry" pours out to take part in the "gentry of the Country" dance. The men wear full morning dress and the women wear long gowns. The final dance, at five o'clock, is meant for the "tradespeople" just like the first dance and thus gives the working class the opportunity to dance twice. These medieval traditions aren't strictly followed, however, and there aren't guards who check to make sure that a gentry man isn't dancing in the 5 p.m. dance or a tradesman isn't dancing during noon. At any rate, the city does try to ensure that only people born in Helston are allowed to take the lead part in the dancing.
The band that plays the music for these dances is itself a popular part of history. The Helston Town Band has been around since before the 1900s and many of the members in the esteemed band have great-grandparents who themselves were members in the band. The band gained international acclaim, however, when Edward Ashton took over as the director in 1967. Since then, the band has been renowned around the world and has competed in prestigious events like the West of England First Section Championship.
Helston's rich, vibrant, medieval history has not fallen by the wayside and this is an exciting development to see. If only every city in England were as devoted to its roots and its ancestors as Helston. The Helston Folk Museum acts as the perfect example of the city's dedication to tradition and history. The building itself was even the town's Market House in 1837 and now it enriches the minds and spirits of anybody who peers in to take a look at what life used to be like in Helston centuries ago.
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