Brendy:

Plough Stots, or Plough Bullocks, Ploughboys, Plough Monday Mummers/Dancers....

the tradition goes back to the old 12 day holiday of Christmas when work did not recommence until after Epiphany. It possibly has its roots in the older Winter traditions. The Monday after Epiphany (or of it?) is "Plough Monday". The actual rituals performed varied from area to area. In some there were dancers accompanying a decorated plough, in others there were mumming plays performed. In others, it is well documented that a decorated plough would be dragged through the area, accompanied by plough-lads who would beg money, in return for which, they guaranteed not to plough up your garden! In my area, pre-1914, there is some faint evidence of a play existing, and most definitely dancers.

If you want to investigate it, I recommend a publication by Paul Davenport, called "The Forgotten Morris", which is pubished by the South Riding Folk Network, I think, and goes into it a lot more fully than I can here.

mouldy