Klang's Entourage

The Mighty Klang

A unique and ancient tradition

The Norwich Snap is probably the most famous of the British Pageant Dragons. 'Old Snap' is associated with the investment of a new mayor, his last civic appearance being in 1850, since he is to be found in the Castle Keep.

St Gregory's church in Pottergate has a painting on the interior of its West wall. I'm not sure if the print from which this was taken survived the fire at Norwich's Local History Library some years ago, but the print showed the painting in a better state of visibility than today. I seem to recall reading somewhere that St Gregory's church was frequented by the Guild of St George.

In the 19th century there came the Municipal Reform Act of 1835, whereby mayoral power and ceremony across the country was abolished. Snap seems to have survived somehow without this association, making do with Mock Mayors. Pockthorpe and Costessey at least had their own Snap Dragons

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A unique and ancient tradition	The Norwich Snap is probably the most famous of the British Pageant Dragons. 'Old Snap' is associated with the investment of a new mayor, his last civic appearance being in 1850, since he is to be found in the Castle Keep.
The largest of the old Snap Dragons as it was displayed hanging - sorry, flying - in Norwich Castle Keep. On the refurbishment of the Castle Museum in 2000 it was found to be very fragile and is awaiting conservation.	The 'Snap' Dragons are constructed to be carried by one man, by straps over his shoulders. The form is barrel-shaped, formed around a horizontal pole (one end has the head, while the other, the tail.) and two small wings conceal the man's face. The man's hands are left free to operate the head and hinged lower jaw (this makes a loud click when it shuts, thus 'Snap'). It is traditionally associated with the Norwich Guild of St.George, founded in 1389, and was paraded around the city on St. George's Day. Both St.George and the Dragon had prominant positions in the procession. Some accounts suggest there was a mock battle. In the 16th century this date shifted to midsummer, and a new character appeared, St.Margaret, often wrongly identified with the maiden rescued by St. George, until the time of the Reformation. In 1471 George was to ride in the 'procession and make a conflicte with the dragon and kepe his astate' on two days. From 1534-35 Margaret and attendants, angels, and dragon were included. A new line to the dragon purchased in 1545-46. Suppressed in 1550 and goods sold, but the dragon was retained. Accounts and Inventories list armor and sword for the George, garments, horse harnesses for George and the Lady, banners, books, and vestments. During 1558 it was ordered "that there shall be neither George nor Margaret but that for pastime the Dragon to come and show himself as in other years."
In 1726: "Old Snap is dead, there has arrived a new one from Grand Cairo in Egypt with two Dick Fools to attend his monstrousness." Yes, but which one? Above, and heads: photos by Doc Rowe
St Gregory's church in Pottergate has a painting on the interior of its West wall. I'm not sure if the print from which this was taken survived the fire at Norwich's Local History Library some years ago, but the print showed the painting in a better state of visibility than today. I seem to recall reading somewhere that St Gregory's church was frequented by the Guild of St George.	In the 19th century there came the Municipal Reform Act of 1835, whereby mayoral power and ceremony across the country was abolished. Snap seems to have survived somehow without this association, making do with Mock Mayors. Pockthorpe and Costessey at least had their own Snap Dragons
	The latest Municipal Snap Dragon now precedes the Crier and the bearers of the Norwich Regalia in the Mayor's Parade every July. It was made by, or at the very least designed by John Mathews about 15 - 20 years ago. Inside is Richard Woodham, vicar of Lakenham, who gave us some very good advice on the building of hobby-horses (the Snap dragons are technically hobby horses. Biologists may have difficulty with this fact, but it's perfectly logical to even the most junior mythozoologist).
	Eric, the dragon of Kemp's Men of Norwich has been described as "the vertical expression of a horizontal intention" which when you consider the traditional connection between morris men and beer, is probably very appropriate. Nogard, Golden Star's new dragon (left) is built along similar lines, though he has a liftable head to enable Roddy, his human engine, to actually see what he's playing.
	Norwich Castle Museum's Baby Snap Dragon was made for the re-opening of the museum in the new millennium. Unfortunately, technical difficulties have made it impossible for him to be used by visitors, as was intended, but he came on an outing with Klang's Etourage to Banbury in 2003 where he found a patch of his very own flora.
	At about the same time Baby Snap was on the way, another dragon was taking shape in Thorpe Hamlet, in the no-man's-land between the river and the railway, just behind the football ground...
You can find out more from the library in the Forum in Norwich and the Local Studies Library at Gildengate. Particularly interesting and accessible is Snap - the Norwich Dragon by Richard Lane. And then there's... Dragon Hall Norwich CAMRA Beer Festival The Green Dragon, aka Red Lion, Bishopgate - also search here for Dragon, George & Dragon etc. There are a number. Kemp's Men of Norwich have a picture of Eric here, though unfortunately no written information about it on their site. Archaeological evidence. It's all true! A marvellous archive of local history from the Plunkett family.	Regional mystery: Just before the Reformation, in the late Middle Ages, 28 different parishes of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, including Royston, combined to perform a miracle play in Bassingbourn. The expenses for the productions performance on St. Margaret's Day 1511 include that of a Dragon. If anyone has documentary evidence of this, we'd be delighted to hear...
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