Press Releases

September 07 2009

Gorton Morris Rushcart revived one last time

To celebrate the 100th year of Gorton becoming a part of Manchester, an ancient Morris ceremony will be revived this weekend.

Gorton Morris men and Morris sides from around the North West will come together for a day of dancing and celebration of the Gorton Rushcart.

People of all ages are being invited to get involved in the unique event, which will take place on Saturday 12 September.

Belle Vue brass band, the local clergy, children from St James school, carrying token bundles of rushes, and the Gorton Morris men will lead the shire horse-drawn Rushcart procession, followed by other invited Morris sides.

The parade, which starts at 10 am outside the Lord Nelson Pub on Hyde Road, will process to St James Church where the Rushbearing ceremony will take place. Everyone is welcome to come into St James Church and join in the celebrations. The Rushcart and Morris dancers will then process through the streets of Gorton dancing outside various local public houses.

Onlookers will then be welcome to join the Morris dancers at the Lord Nelson for a further Lancashire clog Morris dancing display and later to the Gorton Social Club, where a Ceilidh social gathering, including Lancashire hotpot, will be held throughout the evening. The Ceilidh will start at 7.30 pm at the Gorton Social club.

The Rushcart Ceremony is part of the Gorton 100 celebrations taking place throughout 2009 and follows on from the recent return of the K1 locomotive in August

Allan Grafton, Chair of Gorton 100 Committee, said "Resurrecting the Rushcart for one last time in our centenary year is fantastic for the area and all Gortonians are eagerly anticipating the day."

The Gorton Rushbearing ceremony was resurrected by the Gorton Morris men in 1980, more than 100 years after the last recorded Rushcart day took place in 1874.

Rushbearing itself grew out of the practice of laying rushes on church floors in order to reduce the discomfort suffered by the poorest worshipers standing on the cold stone and clay floors with their worn shoes.

To the modern day observer, the Rushcart presents a strange sight; thirteen feet high, decorated with flowers and pulled by a shire horse, but in the eighteenth and nineteenth century it was a commonplace feature during holiday seasons in most north western towns. Gorton is now the only inner city Rushcart to be seen

The Gorton 100 Committee, set up to celebrate the 100 year milestone since Gorton became part of the City of Manchester, have also now secured £23K from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The funds will be used towards the Rushcart ceremony, an End of Year celebration at Gorton Monastery and the creation of a Gorton 100 and history commemorative book.

Mr Grafton added: "Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund and Manchester City Football Club, this event and others later in the year are now taking place."

If you would like to order tickets for the Rushcart Ceilidh evening please contact
Denise Rutland on 07533 895 818.