Custom · Castleton · Famous
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A king in a beehive of flowers rides the village bounds.
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Street custom on 29 May in Castleton village. Free to watch. Check timings before you go.
A king on horseback, buried to the waist in flowers, riding past every pub in the village.
On 29 May each year, the Garland King of Castleton rides around the village bounds, then leads a procession through the streets covered to the waist in a heavy bell-shaped garland of flowers. The procession stops at each pub, with the Castleton Silver Band playing the Garland Tune and children dancing, and ends at the church and maypole. The garland is hauled up a church tower pinnacle. The day coincides with Oak Apple Day and is said to commemorate the restoration of Charles II in 1660, but folklorists suspect older roots. In 2026 Ben Millner rode as king.