Making Mischief Oral History Project, 'Stratford Tourney Horse' full

London College of Fashion

Tim Watkin got involved in folk traditions through music and Mummers’ plays. He joined Stratford Morris and took on the Tourney Horse after finding it in a rather tatty state. He revamped the horse (using an old archive photo of it from 1910) and performs in it alongside the Stratford Morris team. The role of the horse is to clear the way for the dancers or interact with the crowd and collect money. The horse hangs from the wearer's shoulders and has a wooden head, basket neck and a skirt covering the wearer's legs. It's supposed to resemble a medieval tournament horse.