The Morris Ring
Recent events
Thursday 12 January: Practice. Then Brewey Tap. Vistiation by Steve Saxton. Nice to see him. There's a road in Abingdon with the same name!
January 1 - New Year's Day: Dancing with Icknield Way at The Cherry Tree, Steventon. Traditional start to new year. Thanks for inviting us!
Thursday 15 December: Christmas Social in Brewery Tap.
Sunday 4th December: Music session in the Old Anchor.
Thursday 1 December: Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza. Procession and Dancing in front of County Hall. Plus a few beers.
Thursday 17 November: Annual General Meeting in Brewery Tap.
Sunday 6 November: Music Session in the King's Head and Bell.
Thursday 3 November: Practice in Trinity Church Hall.
Thursday 20 october: Practice in Trinity Church Hall.
Saturday 10 September: Danced in Abingdon for Heritage weekend.
Sunday 4 September: Wallingford Bunkfest - very enjoyable day, despite downpour during morning.
Sunday 28 August: Danced at King's Head and Bell Beer Festival. Really enjoyable day. There's nothing quite like free beer and an appreciative audience.
Thusday 5th August: Danced at
Prince of Wales, Shippon Beer superb, tasted even better for being free! Thank you.
Saturday 30 July: Danced at wedding of Ben Legge (son of our esteemed bagman) and Jimena Belmonte at Abingdon Guildhall. Lovely day. Sincerest thanks expressed for our efforts.
Sunday 10 July: Danced at The Crown, Marcham. Superb afternoon. Fantastic beer brewed by Shaun Cunningham at the Adkin Brewery in Wantage. Thanks Shaun, and thanks to all at The Crown!
Saturday 18th June: Mayor's Day - Roger Cox re-elected as the Mayor of Ock Street.Click here for details.
Bank Holiday Monday, 30th May: Danced at Bampton.
Saturday 28th May: Danced at Chippenham Festival.
Thursday 19th May: Danced at Cherry Tree and North Star, Steventon with Oxford City MM. Another good night, but no mild on sale at North Star!
Sunday 15th May: Music session with dancing at Cherry Tree, (steventon) beer festival.
Saturday 14th May: Danced at St Nic's school fete. Very enjoyable. We've received a letter of thanks from the school, for whom the day raised £4500.
Thusday 5th May: Danced at
Prince of Wales, Shippon - a really great pub, with Old Speckled Hen a really good night.
May morning, Sunday 1st May: Danced at traditional May morning celebrations in Oxford. Hugely enjoyable. click for pictures.
Royal Wedding, 29 April - A great day! Danced at admiral Benbow street party, Milton, then at traditional bun throwing event in Abingdon Marketplace, retiring to The Kings Head and Bell for what looks in retrospect like a broom dancing competition.
click here for Youtube coverage
Easter Saturday / St George's Day, 23 April. Danced at Aldworth street fair in the morning (with lovely cups of tea made by the Ladies of Aldworth plus a quick beer in The Bell as an extra treat), followed by more of the same back in Abingdon. click for pictures.
, and at The King's Head and Bell in the afternoon. Watch this space for more details.
Good Friday 22April: Danced at Steve and Linda's lovely wedding at Drayton Golf Club. A privilege to be there. Super party.
Sunday 17th April: Dancing in Oxford at what should have been the Oxford Folk Festival, but wasn't, as it had been cancelled. We went anyway, as you can see if you click here.
Thursday 14th April: Practice.
Thursday 31st March: Practice.
Thursday 17th March: Practice.
Thursday 10th March: Mayors' Challenge: The Mayor of Ock Street's team took on The Mayor of Abingdon's team at pub games in the Brewery Tap. Happily, the Mayor of Ock street's team won 21 - 14. But we won't be triumphalist. Not a bit.
Thursday 3rd March: Practice.
Saturday 26th February: Attended Armaleggan Ale. Great evening.
Thursday 17th February: Practice.
Saturday 12th February: Danced at The Mayor of Abingdon's Charity Ball, Abingdon Guildhall, then at Oxford City Ale.
Thursday 3rd February: Practiced in Trinity Church Hall. Realisation is dawning that Roger Cox can only dance in the lead dancer's spot. He'll have to learn!
Thursday 20th January: Practiced (in St Helen's Church.)
Thursday 6th January: Practice, followed by a few beers in The Brewery Tap.
New Year's Day: Traditional dancing out at The Cherry Tree, Steventon with Icknield Way Morrismen. Very pleasant.
Thursday 9th December: Christmas Social, The Brewery Tap.
Sunday 5th December: Music session King's Head and Bell. Enjoyed by all.
Thursday 2nd December: Practice at Trinity. Poor attendance because dancers still frozen from Tuesday night!
Tuesday 30 November: Danced at Christmas Extravaganza and switching on of Christmas lights, Abingdon marketplace. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Thursday 18th November: AGM. The Brewery Tap.
Thursday 4th November: Practice and beers. Great attendance. Lots of fun.
Thursday 21st October: Practice at Trinity followed by beers at Tap.
Sunday 19th October: danced at beer festival, Cherry Tree, Steventon. Really enjoyable on a lovely day. Beer truly excellent, and a smashing audience. Thenks to all of you, especially Mrs Jambutty (Click for picture) whose sons are overseas.
Saturday 9th October: Danced as part of "splash of pink" campaign against breast cancer on Abingdon Market Square.
Saturday and Sunday 18th and 19th September: Danced at annual Lilliput Lane Collector's fair, Knebworth.
Saturday 11th September: Danced on Abingdon Market Square for Heritage Day.
Sunday 5th September: Wallingford Bunkfest.
Sunday 29th August: Danced at Beer Festival, King's Head and Bell, Abingdon. Great Pub, Great Beer.
Thursday 22nd July: Danced at the Red Lion, Blewbury, then at the Fleur de Lys, Hagbourne. Very pleasant evening.
Thursday 15th July: Danced at Admiral Benbow, Milton, and went on to The Red Lion, Drayton. It rained there, but we played some music, drank some beer, and still enjoyed ourselves. It's a tough life indeed!!
Saturday 10th July 2010: Clifton Hampden School Fete. Idyllic spot. Danced between performances by school pupils. Most of them way better than us. Really enjoyable afternoon. Free beer provided by our hosts. Thanks folks. See you next year?
Saturday 3 July: Dalton Barracks family day! Dancing in contrast to exotic dances from places like Fiji! A really pleasant afternoon. We gravitated to a spot outside the beer tent, and danced happily there.
Visited Newtown (just over the Hampshire border) for their village hog roast (and free beer!! - what hosts!!) and danced in a beautifully picturesque spot. Hoping to be invited back.
Saturday 26th June: Milton Fete: Happy event, but blisteringly hot. Many thanks to our hosts who treated us to refreshments in The Admiral Benbow. We plan to return!!
Saturday 19th June: Election of The Mayor of Ock Street. Our big day!!
Click here for report and election result.
Sunday 13th June: Eastbury Fete. Idyllic Berkshire Village - beautiful house and gardens - lovely friendly people. The side really enjoyed dancing for the event.
Sarurday 12th June: Danced with Armaleggan and friends (it was their 10th birthday) under County Hall in Abingdon.
Bank Holiday Monday, 31 May: Danced at Harwell Feast, to a really appreciative audience. Thanks for having us, folks. We're looking forward to 2011! That followed by dancing at Sunningwell festival in the evening and (after a slightly surreal performance of the mummers' play) drinking some really excellent stuff at the The Flowing Well.
Thursday Evening 27th May: Pub Tour - Cherry Tree and North Star, Steventon, with Oxford City Morrismen. A fine evening in every sense!
Wednesday 12th May: Danced in support of Installation of the Mayor of Abingdon. Click for photorecord.
Saturday 6th May: Pub Tour, The Vine, Cumnor, with Speckled Hen. Very pleasant evening.
Saturday May 1st: Featured in "Abingdon International Day of Dance" on marketplace, Abingdon.
Friday 30 April: Danced for children at Rush Common School.
Sunday 18th April: Oxford Folk Festival. First public performance by Jon and Ben, our novices, and a reassembly of some relics.Click for photorecord.
Thursday 15 April: Practice, followed by visit to Brewery Tap.
Sunday 11 April: Music Session, 2pm, Punchbowl.
Thursday 1 April: Practice, 8pm, 35 Ock Street, not followed by refreshing visit to Brewery Tap because they had a band on.
Sunday 28 March: Music Session, Punchbowl. Drank lots (according to Linda the Landlady), but the big drum was banned (not banged) as too noisy.
Thursday 18th March: Practice, then refreshments in The Brewery Tap.
Friday 12th to Sunday 14th March: Visit to Boerke Naas (Sint Niklaas) for mid-lent festival. Truly outstanding trip included visit to Boelens brewery and Cobalbo chocolate factory, a care home, much dancing, and some drinking. Heartfelt thanks for the hospitality we were shown everywhere. Click here for pictures.
Thursday 11th March: Mayors' Challenge. ATMD (led by the Mayor of Ock street) (22 points), beat Abingdon Town Council (led by the Mayor of Abingdon )(12 points) to retain the Sam Jones Cup. Thanks to the Brewery Tap for superb hospitality.
Thursday 4th March: Practice, followed by Brewery Tap.
Friday 26th February: Danced at Mayor of Abingdon's Charity Ball. Abingdon Guildhall. Click for picture.
Sunday 21st feb: Music session in Punchbowl, Abingdon.
Thursday 4th February: Practice, followed by refreshments in Brewery Tap.
Thursday 21st January: Practice, followed by refreshments in Brewery Tap.
Thursday 7th January: Practice, follwed by refreshments in Brewery Tap.
New Year's Day 2010, danced with Icknield Way at The Cherry Tree, Steventon, followed by music session. Beautiful day, really good turnout (15 men - in various stages of decay and disrepair).
Thursday 17 December 2009: Practice in Baptist Church Scout Hut, retired to Brewery Tap afterwards.
Tuesday 15 December 2009: Christmas social, Brewery Tap. Smashing evening. Thanks to JD (the landlady) and her staff.
Saturday 5 December 2009: Danced in interval at Ceilidh in Grove village hall. For Icknield way MM. Very appreciative audience, and very enjoyable. Pete Smith invited us to Cherry Tree for New Year's Day.
Thursday 3 December 2009: Danced at Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza, and played in Punchbowl front bar afterwards, to great acclaim! Made up for the freezing weather.
Thursday 26 November 2009: AGM, Brewery Tap.
Thursday 19 November 2009: Practice in Baptist Church Scout Hut, 35 Ock Street. Retired to Brewery Tap afterwards.
Thursday 5 November 2009: Practice in Baptist Church Scout Hut, 35 Ock Street. Retired to Brewery Tap afterwards.
Thursday 22nd October 2009: Practice in Baptist Church Scout Hut, 35 Ock Street. Retired to Brewery Tap afterwards.
Saturday October 10th, Abingdon Marketplace: Danced in support of Breast Cancer Charity, then at Brewery Tap.
Saturday 12 September: Heritage Day, danced around central Abingdon.
Sunday 6 September: Wallingford Bunkfest. A great time had by all.
Sunday 30 August, Danced at Antony and Susan Byrne's Wedding in Ardington. Very enjoyable and great fun. We wish them well.
Pictures here.
Weekend of 22/23 August, 2009: Visited Saddleworth for Rushcart Celebrations. Hugely enjoyable weekend, (
pictures here) but sadly Dave Beaver sprained his ankle and will be out of (morris) action for the rest of the year.We wish him well, and are sure that you will, too.
Thursday 6th August, 2009: Intended pub Tour to Barley Mow, Clifton Hampden and Plough, Long Wittenham cancelled due to flooding.
Sunday 19 July, Danced in Abingdon, in spite of rain, at Punchbowl and then at Old Anchor beer festival.
Saturday 18 July, Danced at Wedding, Cozener's House, Abingdon.
Sunday 12 July, Danced at High Sheriff's Village Garden Party. In case you didn't know, the High Sheriff's duties include overseeing law and order in the county, and Inviting a side of rough old Morris Dancers into your garden shows a certain panache, folks! Click for pictures.
Saturday 4 July, danced on Abingdon marketplace for Yeah Baby Children's Hospital charity event. America? Independent? We'd never have guessed!
Sunday 28 June: Beer Festival at Home Sweet Home pub, Roke. Really good fun. Thanks to Ziggy the landlord, Scoffer55 who was drunk enough to want to come and join us, to Neil Brotherston, who took the photograph, and to Pudsey Bear, who seemed absolutely terrified. It wasn't that bad, was it Pudsey?
Saturday 27th June: Fetes at Radley and Rush Court (Shillingford). Very enjoyable, but very hot. Called at Old Anchor on the way home to wish Paul the Landlord well. He's recently suffered a stroke. We all wish him a speedy recovery, and we all love his lovely wife Lesley, who's made us welcome for years, even if we are a rough old bunch!
Sunday 21 June: Pub Tour with Drayton Red Lion family day. Fathers' day, too! Very enjoyable!
Saturday 13th June 2009, Mayor's Day - Roger Cox re-elected, but Rob Beaver nearly beat him! A great day had by all! This years' visitors were
Saddleworth,
Chipping Campden, and
Berkshire Bedlam
Click here for report on day's events.
Sunday 19th July, Danced in Abingdon at Punchbowl and Old Anchor.
Saturday 18th July, Danced at Wedding in Abingdon.
Thursday 28 May 2009: Pub tour with Oxford City and University sides. Cherry Tree and North Star, Steventon. Lovely evening, Nort Star had two dark milds, and generosity by the bucket - literally. What a great pub!
Bank Holiday Monday, 25th May, Danced at Harwell feast - really hot afternoon, bagman screwed up times and was forced into a grovelling apology to all who were inconvenienced, then at Bampton, where a great evening was had by all!
Thursday 14th May, 2009: Very damp but enjoyable evening pub Tour to George and Dragon, Upton - thank you Shirlo the landlady and her customers for a warm welcome, and to the Fleur de Lys in East Hagbourne for dancing and music. Sadly our Old Fool has had to take special steps to dry out his bladder!
Wednesday 13th May, 2009: Danced at installation of new Mayor of Abingdon, Cllr Patricia Hobby.
Thursday 7th May, 2009: Evening pub Tour with Old Speckled Hen, The Vine, Cumnor.
Saturday 2nd May, 2009: Dancing on Abingdon Marketplace to open International Dance Festival. Sam and Linda opened The Punchbowl early to let us do our warming up exercises. Click here for pictures.10am.
Friday 1 May: Dancing in May Morning celebrations, Oxford. Hugely enjoyable. Click here for pictures.
Also Saturday 25th April, 2009: Danced (with Icknield Way and Ridgway Step Clog) at Wedding of Graham and Laura in Abingdon.
Saturday 25th April, 2009: Dancing at Wallingford St. Georges Day Celebrations. Really enjoyable. Thanks to the people of Wallingford for being such a good audience and for making us welcome. Special thanks to The Old Post Office - a really nice restaurant with very helpful staff.
Thursday 23rd April, 2009: St George's Day. Dancing outside Punchbowl and Old Anchor. A great evening, made even better by the traditional english generosity of the landlords / landladies. Free beer at the anchor, Scones with jam and cream at the Punchbowl (red and white - St George's colours - GEDDIT?). Isn't Abingdon Wonderful?
Thursday 16th April, 2009: Practice. Last of the season - we must be perfect by now!!
Thursday 2nd April, 2009: Practice.
Sunday 22nd March, 2009: Oxford Folk Festival. Lovely day. Enjoyed by all. Click here for photograph. A short experiment in Morris dancing in the horizontal position, conducted by Dave Levy, was judged a failure. The technique will not be adopted by the side.
Thursday 19th March, 2009: Practice.
Thursday 12th March, 2009: Mayor's Challenge. Mayor of Abingdon (and his team) lost 11 - 7 to the Mayor of Ock Street (and his team), further extending the Town Council's losing streak. This was in spite of the participation in the crib competition of Mrs Norah Jones, whose late husband Sam donated the trophy in 1970, when he was Mayor of Abingdon. Better luck next year, Councillors! Some excellent images of the event are available on Cllr Fear's Abingdon Blog.
Thursday 5th March, 2009: Practice.
Saturday 21 February, 2009: A small but select group of us attended Oxford's Ale. Good scoff, especially the cheese, good company, good dancing. Ale not too bad, either! Thanks, gents.
Friday 20th February, 2009: Dancing to welcome guests at Mayor of Abingdon's Charity Ball. Abingdon Guildhall. Click here for picture.
Thursday 19th February, 2009: Practice.
Saturday 7th February, 2009: Danced at Cecil Sharp House, London, in support of the Mary Neal project. Hugely enjoyable. Thanks to
Lucy Neal and
Doc Rowe for inviting us and to
New Esperance Morris for letting us share their dance workshop. Click here for picture.
Thursday 5th February, 2009: Practice.
Thursday 22nd January, 2009: Practice.
Thursday 8th January, 2009: Practice.
New Year's Day 2009 - lunchtime - danced with Icknield Way Morris Men
, The Cherry Tree, Steventon. Very enjoyable. Cold and creaky. Audience participation of the highest order!
Thursday 27th November 2008, 8pm - Practice.
Thursday 20th November 2008, 8pm - Annual General Meeting, Brewery Tap.
Thursday 13th November 2008, 8pm - Practice.
Thursday 30th October 2008, 8pm - Practice.
Thursday 16th October 2008, 8pm - Practice.
Thursday 2nd October 2008, 8pm - Practice.
Saturday 13 September 2008, Heritage day, Danced on Marketplace, outside Guildhall, outside Punchbowl and in yard of brewery tap. Good Day had by all! Thanks to Cllr Alistair Fear for inviting us!!
Thursday 4 September, Danced at Old Anchor and Punchbowl, Abingdon. Followed by a musical evening in the back room of the Punchbowl. Many thanks to Landladies of both pubs, Lesley and Linda for their generous hospitality and to Linda for featuring once again as "Maid of the Mill". Good to see visitors from Dalton Barracks and Korea, all of whom seemed to enjoy themselves.Also good to see local boyz (and gurlz) lurking under County Hall - come and join in next time!
Sunday 31 August, Wallingford Bunkfest. Felt like we were rain-dancing, but it worked. Really good day out. Helped along by the odd visit to the beer tent.
Thursday 21 August, Pub Tour, Once more enjoyed by all.
Thursday 7th August, 8pm Cricketers, Warborough 9pm Six Bells, Warborough. Great pubs. Great people. Fun night (except for the pub dog, who got really upset at blokes wearing bells!)
Wednesday 6th August, 6.30pm, Danced at special meeting of Abingdon Town Council to celebrate granting of The Freedom of Abingdon to Sir Hugo Brunner, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire.