Rushbearing

Every year, there's a rushbearing festival in Sowerby Bridge, a revival of an old custom of bringing new flooring rushes to the churches in the area. It's been going on since 1977, and now features a rush cart, morris dancing teams, and a lot of ancillary events. We went along today, with Jenny, Philip, and the children.

The cart (filled with rushes, bearing a girl, and pulled by sixty men) makes its way along the country roads, stopping off for refreshments, and accompanied by half a dozen dance teams. I think the cart-top seat is a little precarious, myself.

Morris dancers and rush-cart (© Ian 2012)