About Malmesbury Morris
Morris dancing in Malmesbury can be traced back to at least 1641. A reference to the Malmesbury Morris men describes a conflict with neighbours from Long Newnton...
It was the custom in Long Newnton, Wiltshire of marking Trinity Sunday & commemorating the granting of a common in Saxon times by having a maid of the town drape a garland of flowers around the neck of a bachelor from another parish while claiming a monetary payment and granting three kisses. In June 1641 Long Newnton men carrying the garland were met by a gang of about 80 men from nearby Malmesbury, led by one John Browne “with a hobby-horse and bells on his legs” and accompanied by bells & drums. “Win it and wear it” challenged one of the Malmesbury morris men, “come three score of you, you are but boies to we.” A bloody melee ensued. Magistrates termed it "an unlawful assembly" and six months later were still proceeding against some for actions of 'riot & battery'.
The local Morris side does not appear to have survived the advent of the industrial revolution and the tradition seems to have died out in the Malmesbury area. This changed when Malmesbury Mixed Morris was formed in the summer of 2004 to provide a local Morris Dancing group for the Malmesbury area. Since the first meeting at the Market Room in Malmesbury Town Hall, the group has continued to develop and grow assisted by instruction from experienced dancers from Chippenham and Stroud Morris sides. In September 2005 we decided to change our name to Malmesbury Morris.
In our first season we put on ten public performances and two introductory workshops and since then have done many more of both. We marched in the 2005 & 2006 Malmesbury Carnival processions; took part in the 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Chippenham Folk Festivals (and were washed out trying to perform there in 2008!); danced in Malmesbury's twin towns of Niebull, Germany and Gien, France; and we have taken part in setting a World Record for the largest ever Morris dance in Moreton-in-Marsh. We also meet up with other sides to dance and perform at local events.
We started with a small group that possessed little Morris dancing experience. Since then we have grown in both experience and in membership, and we have been fortunate to be joined by some more experienced dancers making our group more balanced. If you're looking for fun, laughs, exercise and good company why not get in touch and give us a try.
Malmesbury Morris is a member of the Morris Federation.
The aims of Malmesbury Morris are:
In our first season we put on ten public performances and two introductory workshops and since then have done many more of both. We marched in the 2005 & 2006 Malmesbury Carnival processions; took part in the 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Chippenham Folk Festivals (and were washed out trying to perform there in 2008!); danced in Malmesbury's twin towns of Niebull, Germany and Gien, France; and we have taken part in setting a World Record for the largest ever Morris dance in Moreton-in-Marsh. We also meet up with other sides to dance and perform at local events.
We started with a small group that possessed little Morris dancing experience. Since then we have grown in both experience and in membership, and we have been fortunate to be joined by some more experienced dancers making our group more balanced. If you're looking for fun, laughs, exercise and good company why not get in touch and give us a try.
Malmesbury Morris is a member of the Morris Federation.
The aims of Malmesbury Morris are:
- To have fun
- To enjoy keeping fit
- To entertain the public and bring traditional English dances to Malmesbury and the surrounding area.
- To encourage and maintain the interest in the practice of Morris Dancing
- To contribute to communication between Morris sides
- To encourage the improvement of standards of dancing among team members
