Raneleigh Pleasure Gardens
A view of the Rotunda House and Gardens at Raneleigh, with an exact representation of the Jubilee Ball, as it appeared May 24th 1759, being the Birth Day of his Royal Highness, George, Prince of Wales.
Engraving by Canaletto
The dancers are dressed in Commedia Dell’Arte costumes: Harlequin, etc.
The pole appears to have a crown at the top – possibly because the event was for Prince George? Could this be the inspiration for the crown that still appears at the top of many English maypoles today?
On May 3rd, 1749, Horace Walpole wrote:
“It was by far the best understood and prettiest spectacle that I ever saw . . nothing in a fairy tale ever surpassed it . . It began about three o’clock, and at about five (o’clock) people of fashion began to go. When you entered, you found the whole garden laid with masks and spread with tents . . in one quarter was a maypole dressed with garlands, and people dancing round it to a tabor and pipe and rustic music, all masked, as were all the various bands of music who were disposed in different parts of the garden.”
So, there definitely was a maypole – but we have to note that Walpole says ‘dressed with garlands’ and says nothing about people dancing with ribbons.
Violet Alford wrote about this picture and noticed what Walpole did not say, as well as commenting that the year on the engraving had been edited to read 1749, and was originally 1741…
Canaletto was familiar with Raneleigh Pleasure Gardens and painted there – he spent about 9 years in England, but retuned to Venice around 1755. Was he aware of English maypole dancing, or did he just add what he expected to see at a Masquerade?
In short, is this print evidence of English maypole dancing, or of Italian ribbon dancing?
The Masquerade in Raneleigh Gardens
Cruikshank engraving, 1892, possibly drawing on this work which did not have had maypole dancers. Cruikshank was illustrating a novel, which from his point of view was set well in the past. See the Victorian web for a detailed discussion of this engraving.
By 1892, many people would be familiar with maypole ribbon dances and not necessarily aware how recent the tradition was.
The maypole dancers can be seen near the centre of the image, just outside the house.
Cremorne Pleasure Gardens – 1858
Engraving from the Illustrated London News, August 14, 1858
This engraving is from a London newspaper (Cremorne Gardens were in London) and the pole has both garland and ribbons, suggesting a recent addition of ribbons to an older tradition. I think this one may be a genuine historical ribbon dance in England. Especially as records of maypole dances with ribbons in Derbyshire begin in 1840. See Ronald Hutton ‘Stations of the Sun’.