This is the 2007 diary for Winterbourn Down Border Morris. The status shows whether a commitment has been made to dance at the event. The comments are for any snippets about or after the event. Further information will be added as it becomes available.
We practise most Mondays; for details click here. But in the summer we alternate practices in the village hall with practices at local pubs - a schedule is posted click here below. Regular practices in All Saints Church Hall start again some time in September.
Date |
Event |
Status |
Comments |
| Monday 1st January | Priston Jubilee Morris, at Priston | Confirmed | You could either get there at 11 and participate in the yellow duck race, or stroll along at 12 and do a spot of morris interspersed with a hair of the dog...... Most of us got there about 12.30, says something for the dog, doesn't it? |
| Saturday 13th January | New Inn, Blagdon, 12 noon. | Confirmed | Guests of Priston J M again, as part of the Blagdon Wassail ceremony, where one of the lucky ladies was chosen to be the Apple Queen, and Mark shot the remaining leaves off the orchard. Ate and or drank in the pub, danced after, those of us who still could, then off to the orchard for a spot of Wassail. Where, believe it or not, Mark shredded the mistletoe this year as well. What a shot! |
| Monday 22nd January | Rising Sun, Ryecroft Rd, Frampton Cotterell | Confirmed | We met up for a drink and a chat before the serious (?) stuff started again the following week |
| Monday 29th January | All Saints Church Hall, Winterbourn Down, a bit after 8pm | Confirmed | Regular practice nights start up again |
| Sunday 18th February | Cheltenham Folk Festival | Confirmed | See the Cheltenham
Folk Festival website. Dancing went very well, in the company of other
sides and attended by an appreciative audience. Our luck was in from the
start because our dance spot was right outside a Soho Coffee™ outlet
with pavement tables and chairs. Fuelled as we were by copious latte, espresso
and Double Americano™ coffees along with wedges of Chocolate Muffin™
and cake, we just couldn't go wrong........ |
| Saturday 21st April 2007 | Cardiff Ladies Day of Dance 2007 | Confirmed | Beautiful sunny day, not too hot etc etc. Chauffered around the area north of Cardiff in a coach with 5 other morris sides, getting steadily more raucous after each pub stop, but sobering slightly when we got to the precinct of Llandaff Cathedral. Where Priston Morris reset the mood with their hornpipe dance. And so to tea and home. Diolch yn fawr, Cardiff Ladies. |
| Monday 23rd April 2007 | George and Dragon, Felton | Confirmed | St George's Day, so we perform in honour of our national saint who has recently been downgraded by Rome. What would Henry VIII have done? Carried on dancing, of course, as we will. Any excuse for a dance out, we'll be there...... Well, clearly Rome has frowned on our celebration because it rained for the first time in weeks - indeed, it made it slippery enough for Alan to fall over. Did he get any sympathy? No. Did any fair damsel kiss the hurty bit? No way Jose. We do love you, Alan, but not that much. |
| Tuesday 1st May | What do we do at dawn today? | Confirmed | Met before cock crow on Brandon Hill, and got on wiv it in the company of other insomniacs of a similar bent. No bagpipes this year, though...... Shame! But we managed to get the sun to rise once again. Just how magic are we? |
| Saturday 59th May - no, that must be wong. Hiw abut the fift? | Upton on Severn Folk Festival | Confirmed | See the Upton Folk Festival website. We danced our legs off as usual, despite much barracking from Ryknild Rabble, subtly aimed at making us get it wrong. Which we can do without their help anyway, so sucks to them. |
| Sunday 6th May | Winterbourn Down Border Morris 21st anniversary event. 1-2.30pm. All Saints Church Hall, Winterbourn Down | Confirmed | Dancing with Somerset Morris, Bristol Rag, Ashleys Rise and a small contingent from Priston Jubilee Morris. And Keynsham Brass Band - no we didn't dance to them, but they came and played and added to the general festivities. I just can't think why Terry led us the footpath way to our first dance spot. There were simply too many fields to cross, each with a set of kissing gates. |
| Monday 7th May | Winterbourn Down Village Fete | Confirmed | We started off in the rain at midday, with the fete's stalls seeming to close down as we arrived, and very few punters, but by the time we got to our second spot the sun was out again and the crowds had returned. We really ought to be charging for this service - see our May 1st entry. |
| Thursday 17th May | Dance out with Mendip Morris, at the Globe, Frampton Cotterell | CANCELLED - but now its BACK ON AGAIN | Mendip will still attend, but we're short of a musician or three. So, we sold our music secrets to Mendip's musicians, and they will play away while we dancers will try to keep up. |
| Saturday 19th May | Charfield Primary School, and St Peter's Church Fete, Frampton Cotterell | Confirmed | Met at Charfield at 1.15 played for the Maypole Dancers at 1.30, then strutted our stuff. Off to St Peters for 3pm. We did these two in quick succession last year as well, and had to be revived by copious helpings off the cake stall. |
| Saturday 16th June | Minchinhampton Folk Festival | Confirmed | Dancing in M'hampton and Nailsworth with Stroud Ladies, Black Adder Clog, Belle D Vaine, Bristol Morris, and Tanzkreis from Hanover. We ended up doing an everybody-in Circassian Circle under the Market building in Minch. I used to think that Circassian meant that the dance came from the culture of a non-Arab Islamic people from the Caucasus, but now I'm wondering if its simply a geometric description of the circular shape you get when dancing in the understory of a 300 year old building with lots of columns in the way. And its raining outside. |
| Saturday 30th June | Ragged and Old day of dance | Confirmed | Although the morning weather was grey and threatening, we wowed several customers at "The Ram" and "The Lamb" by which time we were ready for the very fantastic lunch spread provided by our hardworking hosts. Unfortunately, the rain set in more persistently so we spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the Scout Hut in the company of many talented performers. The day finished off with tea and delicious home-baked cakes. Don't ask for a calories-in/calories-out analysis! |
| Sunday 21st July | Tetbury | Confirmed | We were at Tetbury at the invitation of their chamber of commerce. And I reckon we satisfied 100% of the shoppers and 90% of the merchants. Anyway, as usual, we "performed very satisfactorily with our bells still on" - to paraphrase Sarah, the 1st Duchess of Marlborough. A noble lady, whose bon mots are worth remembering. |
| Sunday 23rd September | Upton upon Severn | Confirmed | Meet at the Plough, Upton, at 10.30 for an 11am start.This gig is to help celebrate Upton recovering after the severe flooding it had earlier this "summer" - though how hordes of Morris sides descending on a place can do anything but further add to their misery is quite beyond me. What's more, they're going to have some "Old Crocks" on display. And that's without me being there. |
| Saturday 3rd November | Winterbourne Library, Flax Pits Lane, Winterbourne | 2.15pm | We were invited to take part in Winterbourne Library's "Make A Noise" day. And we had no problem satisfying that requirement. Dancing wasn't bad, either, nor the music. And an unexpected and welcome tea and cakes inside the library after - thanks, librarians. |
| Saturday 8th December | Staple Hill Xmas Carnival | Confirmed ... | We had been invited back again, to dance in the same place, in front of the enormous Organ. But the carnival was cancelled at the last minute, and I was the only one who didn't get the news. So there was I, in the rain, with the enormous aforesaid, but no admiring audience to please. There were also a few bedraggled Santas, and a rain-streaked Red Indian - all a tad bizarre. |
| Monday 17th December | Priston Jubilee Morris Xmas Party, Ring O' Bells, Priston | Confirmed ... | Priston had invited us for an evening of music, dancing and jovial company. This was instead of our Monday practice night in the Church Hall. Somewhat nipp[y to do much outside, though we did manage a couple of dances, but merriment then continued inside, well fuelled by Otter Claws ale and chips and butty buffet. |
| Wednesday 26th December | Boxing Day in Winterbourne Down | Confirmed | ...and under new leadership - temporarily. Di did a good job in sorting us out, coping with last minute changes of personnel, and counting the pennies afterwards - £726 was raised - a goodly haul. |
| Saturday 17th May 2008 | Downend Festival | Not yet confirmed. | This is an early request for next year. Details are still as vague as is the number of us who will be available on that day, but mark it in your diaries as a possible booking. |
We are also on tour around the local pubs on summer Monday evenings. Generally we meet at 7.30 for an 8pm start, Morris time. Other Mondays, we're in the hall as usual. And then there's the odd Thursday as well. But its still a pub, so that's all right then.
Date |
Pub |
Village and Post Code |
Comments |
| Monday 14th May | Lamb Inn | Iron Acton BS37 9UZ - with Priston Jubilee Morris | A good gig - some of the regulars even came out to watch - for a while. |
| Monday 21st May | Codrington Arms | Codrington BS37 6RY - with Pigsty Morris | Another successful dance-out. And an aptly named beer at the bar - Codrington Codger. |
| Monday 11th June | Fox Inn | Old Down BS35 4PR | There is a news blackout on what happened here - could be simply because I didn't go, and as a consequence the rest of the side aren't talking to me any more. |
| Monday 25th June | Cottage Inn | Baltic Wharf, Bristol BS1 6XG | CANCELLED - because of dire weather forecast. Tidal waves in the harbour etc. So normal practice in the church hall tonight. |
| Monday 9th July | Bird in Hand | Saltford BS31 3EJ - with Priston Jubilee Morris again | Started off fine, but torrential rain forced us into the pub. We are always on the lookout for excuses for yet another pint. |
| Monday 16th July | The Anchor | Thornbury | Sarah promised us sunshine and showers. Well, she was half right. But a warm welcome inside the pub - a good evening. |
| Thursday 19th July | Merchant's Arms, Hotwells, Bristol and then Nova Scotia | Confirmed | With Rag Morris and Pigsty - well, we supped the ale at the Merchants, surveyed the size of the dance floor and promptly decamped to the Nova Scotia. Where the other two sides, old hands at this game, had been waiting all along. Terry was interviewed on camera by a passing Australian TV guy, so we'll be expecting an exchange with Melbourne next year....? All expenses paid, natch. |
| Monday 23rd July | Swan Inn | Tytherington GL12 8BQ | Duck Lane, Tytherington, Gloucestershire - not a promising venue when the worst floods for 60 years are inundating the county. But another success story - we started in drizzle, ended an hour later in sunshine. Well, it would have been shining if it hadn't set by then. |
| Monday 30th July | Anchor Inn | Oldbury on Severn | With Rag Morris and Pigsty. At last, a lovely evening to round off our summer 2007 pub tour. And good dancing and playing, too - what is the collective noun for Morris Dancers - a tinnitus? Answers on an email, please... |
| Monday 1st October | The Globe | Frampton Cotterell | With Priston Jubilee Morris. We got on with it, they got on with it, and all performed very satisfactorily in the back room. But I was saddened not to see a repeat performance of Winterbourn's Massed Broom Dance. |
| Contact : WDBM Last modified December 29, 2007 |