"With a noyse and a din,
Comes the Maurice-Dancer in,
With a fine linen shirt,
but a buckram skin.
Oh! he treads out such a peale,
from his pair of legs of veale.
The quarters are idols to him.
Nor do those knaves inviron
Their toes with so much iron.
Twill ruin a Smith to shoe Him."
Lassington Oak Morris Men were
formed in 1977 by a group of
dancers from the Gloucester &
Stroud area. They were renowned
not only for their dancing, but as
fine musicians and singers. In many
ways this start was reminiscent of
the village and family traditions of
early Morris Sides.
The side owes it's name to an old
oak tree to be found near the centre
of Lassington Wood at Highnam,
Gloucestershire. Unfortunately the
old oak has been lying on it's side
for many a year, but a new tree
planted by the side is flourishing. |
"Dancing serves no necessary use;
no profitable, laudable or pious end at all.
It issues only from the inbred
pravity, vanity, wantonness,
incontinency, profaneness, or
madness of men's depraved natures."
William Prynne(1600-1669)
Unlike many Morris Sides our kit is
fairly plain, consisting of white
shirt and socks, black britches &
brown leather waistcoat. The bell
pads worn below the knees have
colourful oak leaf shaped felts on
the leather pad. The kit reflects
the clothing worn by Morris Men in
past centuries, who would have been
farm labourers and ordinary working
village folk.
Lassington Oak dance in the
Cotswold Tradition, performing
dances from a variety of villages
including Bampton, Bledington,
Adderbury and Fieldtown (Leafield).
As well as fertility and fine weather the
dance brings good luck. In exchange for
a few coins of the realm you may bring
the "Luck of the Morris", to yourselves,
the dancers, and our charity beneficiaries. |