"THE MORRIS DANCE IS THE ORGANISED , TRADITIONAL EXPRESSION OF VIRILITY, SOUND HEALTH AND ANIMAL SPIRITS...”

— Cecil J . Sharp

MORRIS DANCING IN BEDFORD

Morris Dancers have been performing in Bedfordshire for at least 450 years. The Bedford Morris Men were formed in 1932 to help keep the tradition alive in our county.

We now perform dances from a range of Cotswold traditions, as well as dances from the North-West of England and the English-Welsh Borders. In Winter we also perform the mysterious and ancient Abbots Bromley Horn Dance. On Boxing Day can be found at The Swan Hotel's Boar's Head Ceremony.

Although there are no historical records of Morris Dancers in Bedford itself, there are references to them dancing in nearby Potton (1560), Woburn and Bletchley (1767), Silsoe (1789) and Stevington (1870).

The last of these occurred on a Plough Monday and may have included a Mummer's Play. The Bedford Morris Men still tour a traditional Plough Play around our local pubs every Christmas in honour of this tradition.

We dance at all kinds of events from October to July every year and we practice in the village of Ravensden each Wednesday from October to the end of April.

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