The Monday following Twelfth Night was known as 'Plough Monday', as this was the time that farmers returned to work and the winter ploughing began. In actual fact very little ploughing was done and instead, the plough was dressed in ribbons and dragged around the streets, accompanied by people dressed up as goblins and witches and a man dressed as a woman who was referred to as a Betsy, Molly or Bessie.
The owners of the plough would ask for money from passers by and anyone who refused to donate would be at risk of having their garden ploughed up. Before the time of the reformation the money collected, was used to purchase a large candle known as the 'Plough Light', which burned on the church altar in order to bring good ploughing weather, a fruitful harvest and protection for the farmers.
These traditions stem back to Pagan times where sacrifices were made to the old Gods in exchange for a blessing before the new agricultural season began.
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