Welcome to CornDollies.Com!

I'm Dave and I hand make Corn Dollies from my workshop on the coast in North Wales. I make a variety of different types of dolly that I've learnt over the years, that make perfect gifts, ornaments or wedding favours.

What are Corn Collies?

When farmers, and those that worked the land, were less dependent on technology to produce our food, Mother earth and nature played a much more important role in the annual cycle of life. In particular, the ‘harvest’ of cereal crops was a major event.

When it came to summer a ‘Lord of the Harvest’ would be given the responsibility of planning the harvest and marshalling the workforce, and when the harvest was finally over there would be the ‘Harvest Home’ celebratory feast.

The first and last sheaves of corn to be cut had major significance…grain from the first sheaf would be made into a loaf of bread while the last sheaf was reserved for transformation into a Corn Dolly (or Corn Idol), symbolic of Mother Earth or The Corn Spirit. It was believed that the Corn Spirit lived in the fields amongst the corn and the last sheaf to be cut would contain this spirit.

Straw from the last sheaf was then woven or plaited `into the complex shapes of the Corn Dollies…sometimes as a Horn of Plenty, or Horseshoes, Lanterns, Fans or Knots. Ultimately the shape was dependent on local traditions. But in every case the symbolic ‘Dolly’ graced the top table at the ‘End of Harvest’ feast and was then carefully looked after over the winter months. After the spring crops were sown the Dolly re-emerged to be carried round the fields to ensure that nature and The Corn Goddess delivered up another good crop.