A lot of theses plays and assorted customs have 'good and evil' and many have 'death and resurrection' in that someone is killed and then brought back to life.

This has been variously interpreted by folkists with little historic knowledge or accademic rigour, infact any kind if accademic anything is probably fround upon, as pagan, pre-christian, viking, anglo-saxon, celtic, roman or anything you fancy.

The only relentlessly honest thing anybody ever says is we don't know.

A letter from Julian Pilling, himself an old folk custom, in English Dance & Song pointed out that one of the most common featues of Morris was its ability to be reserected. At least I think that was what he said and so I have contributed to the oral tradition!

I remember competeing in the 'All Cheshire Finals' of a Dwile Flonking competition at Chester Festival in the early 70s. how many people went away thinking this was an old folk tradition?

Who knows the origin of Dwile Flonking?

As for Cheshire and Souling one suspects its a bit like Chester. We all think its a Roman City. Most of the walls are what, 15/16 century and most of those black and white buildings are victorian.

Is Souling realy pagan or is it like morris mostly a victorian creation? To add to a previous winge of mine some folk customs are dramatic and exciting, I saw Antrobus in Ian Woods Folk club in Frodsham in the late 60s before it moved to ots current location and it was seriously weird but please save us from those am-dram performances with everybody from Geoffroy Boycott to the Spice Girls and yes I confess I have been in some of them.