A Boxing Day tradition in Corfe Castle in Dorset, may be dealt a knockout blow as the Purbeck Mummers and the centuries old tradition they uphold, are on the brink of folding.
The Mummers have taken their play to pubs in Corfe Castle and Worth Matravers on the day after Christmas for several years, but currently they barely have enough members to fill all the roles in their drama production.
Purbeck Mummers hold their rehearsals at the Kings Arms in Wareham, but are getting short on the ground
Urgent plea issued for more players
Any absence, through illness or holiday, is enough to stop the historic play from going ahead – and the group already knows that their Old Father Abraham, a key figure in the story, will be missing on Friday 26th December 2025.
An urgent plea has been issued for more people to join the merry band of mummers, otherwise one of only four Dorset mummer groups still in existence may have to close down.
Purbeck Mummers were set up in 2013 to revive an 18th century play from Lulworth – one of many local variations on the tradition of mumming, which itself is known to date back more than 700 years.
But unless more locals – men or women – come forward soon to join the group, the much loved winter diversion may once again be consigned to the history books.
People have to be fit enough to take a little bit of a bashing…
“Our members are not as mobile”
Dave Morris, the Mother (or leader) of the Purbeck Mummers, said:
“Over the years our members have got older and are not as mobile, with various aches and ailments. The play has a number of fight scenes, so people have to be fit enough to take a little bit of a bashing.
“There are eight characters in the play, only two of which don’t get involved in combat – and although it’s all fun we can’t put anyone who is too old or frail into those roles.
“What it means is that we badly need to recruit people in their late 50s or early 60s who are reasonably fit, who like drinking beer and like mock sword fights – and who will also help us to raise money for local charities at the same time.
“Traditionally, we perform our play through December and finish off our season at wassails in cider orchards – they should be performed on Twelfth Night, but today they tend to be held until the middle of January.
“We have blessed the Purbeck Cider apple orchards for the past few years and this year they have had a bumper crop, which may well be down to the mummers!”
Dave Morris with Sue Wheatley, the team’s only female mummer so far
“It’s a huge shame”
Dave added:
“Although we have recruited one new member since last year, we are still a couple of people short and ideally we would like our group to double in size so that we can fill any gaps caused by illness or holiday.
“We have the bare minimum to put on the play at the beginning of December, but we are one short for our traditional Boxing Day tour of Corfe and that is one of the key roles, so there is a big question mark at the moment over whether we can go ahead.
“It’s a huge shame, the Corfe Castle tour, ending up at the Square and Compass in Worth Matravers, draws big crowds who wait for us to arrive and participate in the fun – and over the last few years the event has been featured in national newspapers.
“But we have no cover, so if someone falls ill, or injures themselves, we can’t go ahead with the performances. Many of our players have been with the Purbeck Mummers from the start, but as we get older our numbers have been dwindling to the point where it is difficult to continue.
“So we are making a plea to residents in Swanage, Wareham and all Purbeck villages, new players are needed to join this merry troupe! There is no need for any acting talent, just an ability to enjoy a sociable pint and forget your lines!”
Old Father Abraham, who needs a stand in if the Corfe Castle Boxing Day meet is to go ahead
Raising money for Lexi May Trust
Purbeck Mummers are scheduled to play at six Wareham pubs on Sunday 7th December 2025 – the day of the Wareham Christmas parade – to raise money towards the town’s Christmas lights appeal.
For the rest of the season they will be raising money for the Lexi May Trust, which helps Dorset children with terminal illnesses or life limiting conditions.
Last year, the Purbeck Mummers raised more than £400 for the Lexi May Trust and £150 for the Christmas lights, but there were years when they were able to perform at more venues and raised more than £1,000 for charity in their short season.
Mr Holly, dressed in tatters – the kind of disguise that gave King Henry the shivers
King Henry VIII banned mummers
Mummers and guisers – performers in disguise – can be traced back at least to 1296, when festivities for the marriage of Edward I’s daughter at Christmas included mummers of the court along with fiddlers and minstrels.
Characters are introduced in a series of short speeches, usually in rhyme, and the play is a based around the theme of good triumphing over evil, ending with a plea to the audience for food and money – or today, asking them to give generously to charity.
In 1418 a law was passed in London forbidding ‘mumming, plays, interludes or any other disguisings with feigned beards’ and was later also banned by Henry VIII for fear that criminals would use a mummer’s disguise to get away with murder.
Although the term mummer has been in use since the Middle Ages, and is believed to have come from a Germanic word for disguise, no scripts or details survive from that era and today’s plays are based around the plays as they appeared in the 18th century.
Characters in the Purbeck Mummers play are King George, Old Father Abraham, Mr Holly, Beau Roamer, Beau Slasher, the Turkish knight, Trim Tram and a quack Doctor who claims to bring people back from the dead.
A cunning disguise from Sue Wheatley, Purbeck’s first woman mummer
“A tale of good against evil”
Sue Wheatley, Purbeck’s first female mummer, said:
“Traditionally, the plays were performed by farmers who didn’t have much to do during the winter and would go round to manor houses in disguise, hoping to make a little bit extra to help them.
“There are places where mummers’ plays would be performed by Morris Men, again because they didn’t have so much to do over winter.
“The play we are using originated in Lulworth – there are loads of different mummers’ plays, but they are all basically a tale of good against evil and feature Saint George or King George as the hero.
“I became the first woman in the Purbeck Mummers last year, playing Beau Slasher, and it is great fun – so I can definitely say that being a part of this wonderful tradition is open to all.”
The Purbeck Mummers are in need of some new players if the tradition is to continue
King George takes centre stage at Corfe Castle’s Boxing Day performance in 2022
Purbeck Mummers were key to blessing the orchards at Purbeck Cider in January 2025
Further information
- Anyone interested in joining the Purbeck Mummers should email purbeckmummerscast@gmail.com or contact the group via Facebook
- The group meets for rehearsals in autumn and winter at The Kings Arms in North Street, Wareham
