Morris dancing Adderbury

morris dancers @ adderbury day of dance 2004, outside red lion

the existence of traditional adderbury morris dancing side first documented janet blunt. in 1916 began interviewing william binx walton, 80 years old. walton had been foreman of adderbury side 20 years in mid-19th century. in 1919 blunt introduced walton cecil sharp, watched walton s performances , published detailed descriptions in morris book.

subsequent researches have determined there once many 3 morris sides in village, , names of more 2 dozen of 19th century dancers have been documented. during whitsun week performed in adderbury , neighbouring villages.

sides regularly used dance @ banbury fair , well-known banbury eccentric, william old mettle castle, fool adderbury team in 19th century. during period village had 2 or possibly 3 sides performing although had died out 1880s.

a revival side established @ village school in edwardian era , of boys developed men s morris side, prior first world war. there pictures of side , names of members established, through talking older village residents, in 1974. 1 of dancers in photographs, charlie coleman, still alive @ time. of in pictures, coleman returned war , revival of morris dancing in adderbury therefore died them.

however dances had been recorded 2 of last surviving members of 19th century team, brothers william , john walton, in such detail janet blunt , others still performed newly formed revival team led bryan sheppard , tim radford. side split in 1975 form 2 morris dancing sides in adderbury, adderbury village morris men (dressed in white , green top hats) – members come village or surrounding parishes , dance traditional dances adderbury – , adderbury morris men (dressed in white, blue , red), take dancers anywhere , create new dances add repertoire. there women s side, named sharp , blunt after cecil sharp , janet blunt. adderbury tradition has become popular groups of dancers far afield united states, australia , india. once year both teams come together, other guest sides, day of dance throughout village.