Making Mischief Oral History Project, 'Mari Lwyds' full

London College of Fashion

Sue and John Exton are both artists. They started making Mari Lwyds after retiring from teaching jobs. A Mari Lwyd is horse costume made from a horse’s skull mounted on a pole. The skull is attached to a cloak which hides the 'rider' (the person holding and operating the skull) and the Mari Lwyd is led by an 'ostler' who, during processions and performances, guides the horse through a community knocking at people's doors and demanding entry to their houses. The tradition, which is predominant in South Wales, dates back to 1800, although there's evidence of people going around as hooded animals as early as the 4th century. John and Sue are passionate about their hobby and spend many hours creating their Mari lwyds which all have names.