In the 14th century Lady de Mowbary is said to have been out riding her horse towards Westwoodside. Her riding hood was blown away by the wind. Thirteen farm workers from a nearby field rushed to help her and chased her hood across the fields. It was finally caught by one of the workers who was too shy to give it back so passed it to another worker to return. Lady de Mowbary told the farm worker he behaved like a Lord whereas the man who caught the hood had acted like a fool. Lady de Mowbary is said to have been so amused by this act that she gave them 13 acres of land on the promise that they would re-enact this event every year. It is believed to be one of the oldest surviving traditions in the country and still takes place on the 6th January every year. This photograph shows the smoking the Fool, Charlie Cronshaw, outside St. Nicholas Parish Church in Haxey.
Image courtesy of North Lincolnshire Museum service.
