Get your clogs on and celebrate 500 years of morris dancing in Reading

It’ll be clogs your uncle when dance troops from across the region team up later this month to celebrate a very special anniversary.

On Saturday, August 10, Kennet Morris Men and Redding Moreys are organising a day of morris dancing to mark the 500th anniversary of the first recorded morris dance in Reading – which was held on the same day in 1513.

Reading’s town centre will take part in a time-travelling extravaganza as the two troops recreate the dances and costumes of Medieval times. They will be joined by other local sides including Aldbrickham Clog, Borderline, Fleet Morris, Icknield Way, Garston Gallopers, Mayflower, OBJ, Shinfield Shambles and Yateley Morris Men.

The fun day that recreates a moment of Reading’s history starts at 11am and will end at 4.30pm.

And it all takes place in the same spot as it did 500 years ago – the name might have changed from St Lawrence Church to St Laurence, but it is still the same building in the middle of Reading’s town centre.

Launcing the event will be the Deputy Mayor of Reading, Cllr Tony Jones and the opening dances will be given by the Kennet & Redding Morreys.

A peal of bells from St Laurence bell ringers follows at 11.30am, with more dancing from noon-3pm. There will be an opportunity to take part in a dance yourself at 4pm, before the event concludes at 4.30pm. Afterwards, you are invited to a traditional apres Morris session at The Allied Arms in St Mary’s Butts.

Dances will take place at Forbury Gardens, outside The Alehouse pub in Broad Street, St Mary’s Church (Reading Minster church) precinct and outside St Laurence’s.

The programme

11am

St Laurence’s Church  – welcome by the Deputy Mayor; Morris dances by The Kennet Morris Men & Redding Moreys

11.30am

St Laurence bell ringers’ celebration peal

Noon

The Forbury Gardens – clog/step dances by Aldbrickham Clog, and morris dances by Shinfield Shambles and Fleet Morris

St Laurence’s Church – morris dances by The Kennet Morris Men (red team), Garston Gallopers and Icknield Way Morris Men

Broad Street (nearest The Ale House) – morris dances by OBJ, Mayflower Morris, and Redding Moreys

St Mary’s Church – morris dances by Yateley Morris Men, Kennet Morris Men (green team) and Borderline Morris

1pm

The Forbury Gardens – morris dances by Icknield Way Morris Men, Yateley Morris Men, and Redding Moreys

St Laurence’s Church – morris dances by Shinfield Shambles, OBJ and The Kennet Morris Men (green team)

Broad Street (nearest The Ale House) – morris dances by Borderline Morris, Fleet Morris and Garston Gallopers

St Mary’s Church – morris dances by Mayflower Morris, The Kennet Morris Men (red team), and clog/step dances by Aldbrickham Clog

2pm

The Forbury Gardens – morris dances by OBJ, Borderline Morris and The Kennet Morris Men (red team)

St Laurence’s Church – morris dances by Fleet Morris, Yateley Morris Men and Mayflower Morris

Broad Street (nearest The Ale House) – morris dances by The Kennet Morris Men (green team), clog/step dances by Aldbrickham Clog, and morris dances by Icknield Way Morris Men

St Mary’s Church – morris dances by Garston Gallopers, Shinfield Shambles and Redding Moreys

3pm

The Forbury Gardens – morris dances by Mayflower Morris, Kennet Morris Men (green team) and Garston Gallopers

St Laurence’s Church – morris dances by Borderline Morris, clog/step dances by Aldbrickham Clog, and Redding Moreys

Broad Street (nearest The Ale House) – morris dances by Yateley Morris Men, Shinfield Shambles and The Kennet Morris Men (red team)

St Mary’s Church – morris dances by Icknield Way Morris Men, Fleet Morris and OBJ

4pm

St Laurence’s Church – an instructional for all dancers in the art of medieval morris led by Redding Moreys, hopefully followed by a mass display of the dance!

5pm

The Allied Arms, St Mary’s Butts – all are welcome to relax and join a traditional aprés morris session.