Morris Dancing in the Oxfordshire village of Kirtlington has a long history. The earliest written reference is found in a report of the Lamb Ale feast in 1679 when Morris Men took a leading part in the celebrations.
Another reference was noted in Sir George Dashwood’s accounts of 1732 when he paid the sum of “Five shillings to Kertling Morris” at the time of the annual feast.
The tradition was reconstructed by Paul Davenport and handed over to the village of Kirtlington in 1979, when the present Morris side was formed, aided by Len and Barbara Berry and the Kirtlington Scouts, and abetted by Tim Radford of Adderbury.
Sources:
GF (Sharp MSS); RD (Sharp and Neal MSS)
