 Five More Men
A biographical record of the early years of the Jockey Mens Morris Club of Birmingham 1949-1960. This is a phenomenal work by both David Ayres and Jockeys fool in residence John Stait. This A4 portrait size book is 138 pages of quality archive material attractively laid out with numerous fascinating photos.
£10.00
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 Book & CD: Trip to Friezland by Paul Walker
Traditional tunes from the North-West of England arranged for Ceilidh dancing.
£12.00
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 THE HISTORY OF MORRIS DANCING 1458-1750
Morris dancing is one of the more individual of English folk customs and one that has been greatly misunderstood. Seen as a descendant of pagan folk ritual, the tradition of morris dancing has been based on calendar customs and distorted by preconceptions imposed on it by the folklorists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. John Forrest has carefully analysed the wealth of evidence to show that morris dancing does not in fact have pagan or ancient origins. His examination of the early documentation traces the passage of dance ideas between groups of people who have conventionally been considered folklorically distinct and ties morris traditions into the wider area of communal customs and public celebrations. Twenty years in the making and impeccably researched with a huge treasury of source material, "A History of Morris Dancing 1458-1750" is an essential reference work for anthropologists, social historians, and specialists in English literature.
John Forrest is Professor of Anthropology, State University of New York at Purchase. He is the co-author of Annals of Early Morris with Michael Heaney and the author of Morris and Matachin: A Study in Comparative Choreography.
£20.00
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 Staffordshire Folk Drama (temp out of stock)
This book is largely from the ritual drama section of a Geographical Index of Traditional Ritual Custom compiled by Alex helm, Dr E.C. Cawte and Norman Peacock. The purpose is to make available all the useful information relating to the seasonal dramatic ceremonies in Staffordshire.
£3.50
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 The Kent Hooden Horse
by Richard Maylam, Mick Lynn & Geoff Doel.
In 1909, Canterbury antiquarian Percy Maylam published his research and remarkable photographs of the fascinating Kent tradition of the hooden horse. He caught the custom in its last traditional phase, but his work inspired a revival after the Second World War. Percy Maylam also published a famous essay on the Kent custom of Gavelkind when this was abolished by Act of Parliament just before the First World War.
Percy's great-nephew Richard Maylam has long wished for these two works to be reprinted. For this special edition Richard has unearthed additional, unpublished photographs and written a biographical essay on his great-uncle. Together with Richard, Mick Lynn and Geoff Doel have worked to make Percy Laylam's text available to a new generation of potential hoodeners and their audiences.
£12.99
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 Make Merry in Step & Song
by Bronwen Forbes. "See the blazing Yule before us". This is just one of the many ancient British folk songs we all know and love. Other tunes and symbols that tug on our memories have similar historical roots, hearkening back to a shared Pagan past. At one time interwoven into the spiritual fabric of everyday life, the dances, songs, and theatrical plays in the English folk tradition are now little known to most of the modern Pagan community. Reviving these vital traditions can bring new life to Renaissance festivals, neopagan rituals, and community events.
Introducing the lively music and home-grown entertainment of times long past, this descriptive how-to is designed for 21st century joviality. The songs, dances, and plays of old are explained in their mythical, seasonal, and historical significance and outlined for easy re-enactment. Simple-to-follow instructions detail six dances including the popular Abbots Bromley Horn dance, six full scripts for dramatic performances of Mummer's Plays (folk plays of death and rebirth), and over thirty songs with lyrics and music. Kick up your heels, hold high your skirts, and make merry the year through.
£18.99
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 A Penny for the Ploughboy (Bk & CD)
Is this a book with a free CD or vise versa? Which ever the answer is, this publication is designed to provide a showcase for songs and tunes written by Colin Cater, most of them in recent years. The songs: Penny for the Ploughboys, Scarborough Fair, Foggy Dew, High Plains of Afghanistan, Seeds of Love, Change at Thorpe le Soken, Benbow's March, Tricky Dicky, Liberation Polka, Number two Top Seam, Derby Footrace, Wassail, Lizzie Wan, Happy & delightful, The Merry Actors, Glastonbury, May Song, Jenny Wren, Steam with Santa.
£17.99
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 Russell Wortley 1912-80
For far too long there has been nothing on the Morris Shop on the subject of Pipe and Tabor. This has been rectified by yet another reprint of this ever popular tribute to Russell Wortley. Russell served terms as Squire and Bagman of Cambridge Morris Men as well as being the third Bagman of The Morris Ring 1950-1959. Russell had a deep love of music, he played the cello was an unquestioned master of the Pipe and tabor. This publication is another 'must have' for all devotees of the pipe and tabor
£5.00
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 The Roots of Welsh Border Morris
by Dave Jones
Like many others in the folk revival, Dave Jones interest was stimulated by the American singers and skiffle groups. Born in Brecon, he became actively involved in the British folk tradition whilst teacher training in Exeter at the beginning of the 60s and went on to found the Hereford Folk Club when he moved there in 1963. He then became involved with the EFDSS and the West Midlands Folk Federation of song clubs, and from this in 1968 and from this came the traditional Bromyard Folk Festival.
£5.00
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 THE KEYS OF HEAVEN
Marson kept in touch with Cecil Sharp in London and in 1893 officiated at Sharp's wedding. Then in 1903, Marson invited Sharp to stay at Hambridge vicarage and, after the noting of the folk song ‘The Seeds of Love’, introduced Sharp to a number of local singers. The two men loved the 'new music' and collaborated on the first three volumes of Folk Songs from Somerset, Marson editing the words and Sharp doing the musical arrangements. However, Sharp switched his attention to the morris dance and the two men fell out. As a result, Marson’s contribution to the first folk revival has been underestimated.
£11.99
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 In Comes I Vol.1
by John Oke Bartlett. A collection of brand new contemporary Mummers plays:
- Flints Squint.
- Bellenders Last Stand.
- Major Scarlets Harlots.
- Bartiswoo Three.
- Itll be all bite on the night.
- Elvis The King.
John Bartlett (A.K.A. the Bard of Victory Morris Men & Broadside Mummers) has penned a collection of new, very contemporary Mummers plays. NO !! These are certainly not traditional, but one day ... they just might be. These are fun to read and hilarious to perform. Some lines could cause the mother-in-law to blush a little. And the better news is, I am assured that Vol. II is already on the way.
£10.00
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Morris Dancers & Rose Queens
 by Johnny Haslett. This is a definitive work about the sociology of Lancashire at the end of the 19th century. The author has put together a brilliant anthology, providing fresh insights into life in late Victorian Lancashire. Here we have Morris dancing teams that travelled distances to perform in towns beyond the county limits, teams that couldnt afford to move about and therefore stayed nearer home. Morris Dancers who were influenced by teams that travelled from other towns. This book is a unique and valuable source of reference.
£35.00
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 THE LOST DANCE
By Julian Whybra (2007). The pitmen's longsword dance, Penshawm Co. Durham.
£5.00
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 The Morris Book 5 Volumes 1911-24: by Sharp and Macilwaine.
Combined edition of the original publications, all five volumes in one book. Technical descriptions of the many traditional Morris Dances, formations, steps, hand movements, customs, costumes and music. Contents include Black and white illustrations, photographs and music scores.
Published in 1991 for The Morris Ring. Listed below some of the Dances and Traditions covered in The Morris Book:
- The Headington Dances stick, handkerchief and Corner dances
- The Ilmington Dances Handkerchief, Stick or Hand clapping dances
- The Tideswell Dance Traditions
- The Winster Dance Traditions Processional and Morris reel
- The Eynsham Dances Traditions
- The Adderbury Dance Traditions stick and handkerchief dances
- The Bampton tradition handkerchief, corner and processional dances
- The Brackley Dance and Tradition
- The Abingdon Dance and Tradition
- The Wheatley Dance and Tradition
- The Badby Dances
- The Bledington Dance and Tradition
- The Bucknell Dance and Tradition.
- The Castleton Garland Dances and more Dances and Jigs.
£10.00
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 PAT SHAW 1917-1877
This book of memories of Pat was developed from around 180 individual memories – from those written at the time of his death to those collected in the last few years. Indeed some of the writers herein have long been dead themselves which shows just how important the written word is to enable future generations to appreciate and share in events long gone.
It aims to give a flavour of a man of many talents who was loved and mourned by many.
£12.50
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 Explore Green Men
by Mercia MacDermott. The book starts by discussing the 'paganisation' of Green Men in recent decades, then follows backwards through the Victorian Gothic Revival, Baroque, Rococco and Italianate revivals, to their heyday in the Gothic and the supposed origins in the Romanesque. As part of this discussion there is background information on the cultural changes that affected how Green Men were regarded.
£12.95
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 Explore Folklore
by Bob Trubshaw
All right then, if we must, let's explore folklore. As it turns out, this isn't actually a book stuffed with twee wizards and elves. An early chapter on folklore 'theory' sees Trubshaw doing a good job of explaining how and why 'folklore studies' came about, and giving a capsule account of Vladimir Propp's seminal taxonomy. There are interesting discussions on assumptions in the field, such as that British folklore customs must inevitably have evolved from pagan rites.
£9.95
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 The Winkleigh Morris Collection
by Collin Andrews
Original and adapted Border & Cotswold Morris from the foreman of Winkleigh Morris. A4 comb-bound format. Full instructions and music. Also, a mummer's play based on the local Franken's Night legend. First edition no longer available. This second edition contained several new dances and changes to some dances published in the first edition. There are also sequels to the original Franken's Night play. This third edition contains some more new dances but a few dances that appeared in earlier editions have been removed.
£4.50
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 Handbook of Morris Dances
by Lionel Bacon. The late Lionel Bacon's essential 'Black Book' for dancers and musicians. This book has now been fully revised and includes all the ammendments in the main text.
£20.00
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 The First Log Book
Walter Absoms' period as Bagman, 1934 to 1946.
£5.00
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 Concerning Clogs
by Bob Dobson
A concise history of making, wearing, working & dancing in clogs.
£5.00
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 The Bert Cleaver Collection
by Bert Cleaver. Pipe & Tabor music and dance notation by the master of this most traditional of morris instruments!
- Sherborne Dances and Jigs (1983): £2.00 each
- Morris Jigs From Beldington, Headington, Longborough and Bucknell (1985): £2.00 each
- Fieldtown Dances and Jigs (1986): £2.00 each
All 3 booklets only £5.00
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 A Cotswold Village Ilmington 4000BC to the Present
by Stacy Pifer Ibbotson & Sylvia Gardener.
A comprehensive history of Ilmington Village. This includes a history of the Ilmington Morris with graphics (Paul Bryans Broom Dance)
£12.00
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 Still Growing
Compiled and edited by Steve Roud, Eddie Upton & Jacqueline Taylor. English traditional songs and singers from the Cecil Sharp Collection.
£13.50
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 The Wraggle Taggle Gypsys
by Jack Brown. The story and notations of the Lichfield Morris Dances and Jack Brown by Jack Brown.
£5.00
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 Eight Days of Wonder
A record of who did it and how it was done. Following the footsteps of Will Kemp in April 2000
£5.00
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Rush carts of Saddleworth
by Peter Ashworth of Saddleworth Morris Men. Twenty one years anniversary of rushcarts in Saddleworth
£5.00
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 The Lancashire Pace-Egg Play
All you would wish to know about Pace-Egging and an interesting social history by Eddie Cass. This publication is supported by the Morris Ring.
£13.95
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 A Short Story of the Green Mans Morris & Sword Club
By Colin Spencer, This is as comprehensive as it can possibly get when a member of a Morris side decides to record its history. Beautifully presented in the form of a spiral bound A4 (portrait) publication. Colin has kindly donated all proceeds to the Morris Ring. Every Morris side should have a 'Colin Spencer'.
£5.00
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 MUMMERS, MAYPOLES & MILKMAIDS
by Sara Hannant (2011)
A journey through the English ritual Year. In Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, a man covered from head to toe in straw the 'straw bear' is paraded through the streets, accompanied by 250 dancers, musicians and performers, while in Ottery St Mary, Devon, a crowd gathers as townspeople hoist barrels of flaming tar on to their shoulders and carry them until they are too hot to handle. Award winning photographer Sara Hannant has travelled the length and breadth of the country, capturing the seemingly bizarre regional rituals costumed processions, symbolic dramatizations, traditional dances and fire ceremonies that mark the changing seasons and celebrate nature's bounty.
£19.95
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 LONGSWORD DANCES
13th Feb 2012: TEMP OUT OF STOCK
By Ivor Allsop. The definitive reference for all things ‘Longsword’. This hardback publication contains music, notation, maps, archive photos, sword locks, etc, etc. A phenomenal work!
£15.00
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