16 April 2025, 13:00 - 14:00
‘Oxfordshire at the Heart of Morris Dancing’
Why are Oxford’s streets full of morris dancers on May Morning? What’s the history of this centuries-old artform? And how did a momentous 1899 Boxing Day meeting in snowy Headington spark renewed interest in this ancient tradition?
Morris dancing has been a feature of Oxfordshire life for nearly half a millennium. This talk looks at some of the ups and downs of Oxfordshire’s morris history, how its dancers inspired the folk revival, and how to spot the different styles of the teams you might see on the streets of Oxford today, from men dressed in white to women in clogs and masked dervishes with whirling and clattering sticks.
Tickets cost £5 and are available online via Eventbrite (booking fee applies) or at the Museum shop.
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Further information
Complimentary tea and coffee will be available to enjoy during the talk. We recommend arriving before the start of the talk if you would like to grab a refreshment.
Sales from tickets help support our work to deliver fun and accessible family activities, community engagement projects, schools workshops, exhibitions and special events for Oxford’s people in our Museum spaces.
Mike Heaney spent over forty years of his professional career at the Bodleian Library, at the same time pursuing his interests in folk custom and local history. He’s a musician for the Eynsham Morris, having lived in the village for over 25 years, and is an authority on morris dancing. His book The Ancient English Morris Dance was published in 2023, and has rapidly been acknowledged as the definitive history of the morris.
Access
There is step-free, level entry access to the Town Hall via the entrance closest to Carfax Tower (to the left of the main steps as you face the Town Hall). Inside the Museum, Museum Makers is accessible via a platform lift to the Galleries and then stairs, or a second lift to the basement level.
Accessible toilets are available in the Museum (close to Museum Makers) and in the Town Hall on the ground floor, before entering the Museum. Please contact the Museum team if you’d like to talk to a member of staff about your access requirements. Further access information can be found on our page dedicated to access at the museum.
Photo consent
Please be aware that photographs will be taken at this event for use in marketing. If you (or a member of your group) would prefer not to be photographed, please let a member of staff know during the event.
