Morris and Maypole Dancing

In Elizabethan times, Morris dancing was a regular feature of London parades. A form of English folk dance, it first appeared in England in the 15th century. The earliest references place the dance in a courtly setting, but by the later 16th century, it was also performed for the lower classes.

Morris dances are generally performed by a group of costumed dancers - usually wearing bells on their shins and/or shoes - who wield sticks, handkerchiefs or swords and are accompanied by one or more musicians.

Shakespeare’s clown, Will Kemp, is famous for his “Nine Daies Wonder” in which he danced from London to Norwich. Morris dancing is mentioned in three of his plays (Henry V, Henry VI, All’s Well that Ends Well) and an entire scene is written around a performance of Morris dancing in a fourth - Two Noble Kinsmen.

Dancing around a Maypole - dates back to the English pagan era, where the maypole represented a symbol of fertility. Dancers dance in a circle around the maypole, each holding a coloured ribbon attached to the central pole.

Grab a blanket, a glass of mead, a picnic lunch or Tudor nibbles to go, and find your own patch of grass from which to enjoy the Morris and Maypole dancing performances by Belswagger Morris.

Feel free to join in one of the dancing sessions and have some fun.

Session times:

• 10.30am - Morris display
• 11.30am - Maypole display
• 1pm - Morris Display
• 2pm - Maypole display
• 3pm - Morris Display

Requirements: Children under 16 are to be accompanied by an adult.

Location: Meet at the Amphitheatre Lawn.