A beautiful autumn day in Shakespeare land saw Adderbury Village Morris spread equine joy galore at the Mary Ardens House Harvest festival event. Such a lovely and friendly event deserved the sunshine. 

The highlights of the day were surely the masses of children dancing Shepherd’s Hey and the procession of horses. So good are our Adderbury Village horses that even the real thing was fooled. See the picture of the elegant white pony that joined us, complete with Elizabethan minder.

Also on offer were the Silver Bough musicians, an amazing medieval puppet show, falconry and all manner of Elizabethan persons revived from history for our delight. What a day! What a venue! What a date next year?  Come you thankful people come, raise the song of harvest home! 

Thank you to all at Mary Arden’s House. 

Donald McCombie

After our exertions at Wardington Manor House on Sunday, we were keen enough to dance out again the next day on our home patch. Through the good auspices of Adderbury’s Sharp & Blunt Morris Side we gathered at The Bell on Monday at 7pm. What a rewarding experience this turned out to be. S&B were hosting a visit by Eken Morris from Sweden. This side from Stockholm were on a Cotswold tour to celebrate their 40^th Anniversary. They formed in 1979 as a result of a growing interest in English folk music in the 1970’s, and have toured the UK, the first time in 1986, then 1992, 1994 and 2015. They are all Swedish nationals and speak wonderful English (although one admitted to being from Cornwall which we all know is not in England). They can even sing many of our folk songs.

The evening took the form of each side taking turns one dance at a time, S&B kicking off with Washing Day and later their unique style of Lollipop Man. Eken then took to the stage and performed Country Gardens, (see https://youtu.be/TUp86m1fwbA), Constant Billy, Skipping Chickens (a dance of their own devising to a Danish tune), Bean Setting and Lads a’Bunchum.

AVMM’s contributions were Söta Jenny Jones, Hasten till Bröllopet (Blottare), Brevbärarens Slå, Glad Man and Prinsessa Kunglig. We acquitted ourselves well and our display was much appreciated by the visitors who were witnessing Adderbury Blunt tradition for the first time.

This was a brilliant evening of international harmony and a demonstration of the fun to be had with the Morris family of ladies (S&B), men & boys (AVMM including Dylan) and a mixed side (Eken).

Proceedings were concluded with a massed Shepherd’s Hey Morris Off and posing for a group photo.

The happy throng then retired to the back bar of the pub to swell the ranks attending Sheena & John’s fortnightly singaround The Bell Folk Club.

Dave Reed

AVMM were delighted to return to the beautiful gardens of Upper Wardington Manor House on Sunday 01 September to entertain the guests in warm afternoon sunshine at their annual Fete. Ten dancers and two musicians performed 14 dances in two sets with a short break for tea served in antique silver pots.

The organisers were very appreciative of our efforts and urged us to return again next year. The Fete was formally opened by the village’s oldest resident, 101 year old Evelyn Phillips, a lifelong dancer who, along with nine other volunteers, joined the side for an audience participation version of ‘Shepherd’s Hey’.

The afternoon was memorable for fine dancing, great camaraderie and much laughter. Our two Hobby Horses provided splendid entertainment to a large crowd. 12 year old Jockey Theo rode Percy with great distinction, fooling around during dances, winning a two horse race during the children’s sports, gaining a creditable third place in the best dressed animal competition and even joining in a Tai Chi demonstration. It was altogether a fine afternoon and we can’t wait to return to Wardington again next year. Our grateful thanks to James (our main contact) for thoughtfully providing beer and tea to keep us going and to all members of the organising committee for inviting us back.

Squire John Ekers