Percy Maylam's Kent Hooden Horse and the Traditions of Hoodening and Gavelkind

In 1909, Canterbury antiquarian Percy Maylam published his research and remarkable photographs of the fascinating Kent tradition of the Hooden Horse. He caught the custom in its last traditional phase, but his work inspired a revival after World War II. Percy Maylam also published a famous essay on the Kent custom of Gavelkind when this was abolished by Act of Parliament just before World War I. Percy's great-nephew Richard Maylam has long wished for these two works to be reprinted. For this special edition Richard has unearthed additional unpublished photographs and written a biographical essay on his great uncle. Together with Richard, Mick, and Geoff have worked to make Percy Maylam's text available to a new generation of potential hoodeners and their audiences.

Richard Maylam is the great nephew of the author of The Kent Hooden Horse, Percy Maylam. Richard has discovered unpublished photographs in Percy?s original papers. Geoff Doel has played a major role in the revival of the custom, having founded the Tonbridge Mummers and Hoodeners 30 years ago. Mick Lynn has been a hoodener and musician for many years and has type set the original texts.