Westwood Border Morris, August 1949 at Much Wenlock Abbey
Ring Archive Refs: OM 33-38
"In August 1949 Geoffrey Mendham met an incomplete group of five men from Westwood, who performed on the lawn of Much Wenlock Abbey. The dress was similar to the later description of fancy dress - a variety of clown's costumes with one wearing a top hat with full dress tailed suit. Again their faces and hands were completely blackened with no unblackened areas around the eyes or mouth" - The Roots of Welsh Border Morris, by Dave Jones, Re-publication, 1995
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The dances and tunes as listed in A Handbook of Morris Dances
- Much Wenlock ('Not for Joe') MK MSS
- Much Wenlock ('Jig') MK MSS
Sources:
Sources: E.C. Cawte (Jour EFDSS, Dec. 1963, and MSS); MK (MSS) (via RD)
The dance was said to have come from Homer, near Much Wenlock; and at the last revival (ca 1949) some of the dancers were living at Stretton Westwood and they called themselves the "Westwood Morris Men".
Note similarity to Brimfield, and there were dances on much the same lines at other villages, e.g. Broseley, Pershore, White ladies Aston, Leominster and Upton Snodsbury.
The music was by melodeon, bones, and sometimes triangle. The bones were sounded in the stick tapping only.
The dance was said to have come from Homer, near Much Wenlock; and at the last revival (ca 1949) some of the dancers were living at Stretton Westwood and they called themselves the "Westwood Morris Men".
Note similarity to Brimfield, and there were dances on much the same lines at other villages, e.g. Broseley, Pershore, White ladies Aston, Leominster and Upton Snodsbury.
The music was by melodeon, bones, and sometimes triangle. The bones were sounded in the stick tapping only.
