Crying the Neck |

When?

September

The Cornish harvest festival is known as Guldize and was once a major occasion in the local calendar. There are many traditions associated with the date including the “Crying the Neck”, which is when the last shock of corn is cut and the end of the harvest is proclaimed.

Crying the Neck after the harvest at Madron in the 1970s — The ceremony of Crying the Neck after the harvest at Madron, 1970s Reproduced courtesy of Andrew Besley as featured on cornishmemory.com

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During Crying the Neck the master of ceremonies finds the last patch of corn in the field and cuts it with a traditional scythe (a long handled sharp hook). He shouts “I 'ave 'un! I 'ave 'un! I 'ave 'un!” Those present then shout, “What 'ave 'ee? What 'ave 'ee? What 'ave 'ee?”, with the reply being: “A neck! A neck! A neck!” After this, everyone joins in shouting: “Hurrah! Hurrah for the neck! Hurrah!”

Crying the neck ceremony in Gulval — Crying the neck ceremony at Gulval at the end of harvest
Reproduced courtesy of Andrew Besley as featured on cornishmemory.com

Crying the Neck ceremonies are organised by members of the Old Cornwall Societies and groups like the Cornish Culture Organisation. The ceremony is conducted in both English and Cornish. After the ceremony, farm workers and others would traditionally hold a feast, known as Guldize.

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