There are more than 40 morris sides of various types in Kent. They cover men, women and mixed, cotswold, border, clog, mumming, hoodening and sword. And some of which defy description. The following is a list of those sides, with a brief description usually taken from the sides published programme and contact numbers.
Some of these descriptions have been edited down for space reasons. If any side would like their description altered please let me know
This page is no longer maintained by Pete Thomas and was last updated on the 6th February 2003
Bishop Gundulfs are based in Rochester and have a Ladies side who dance North-West Morris with garlands, sticks and slings.
The mens side dance English Longsword with its complicated figures full of ancient symbolism. The Lock, made of interlaced swords held aloft is particularly striking.
A Childrens Side dances country dance and longsword mainly at summer fetes and local festivals, adding to the splendid spectacle of colour.
Bishop Gundulfs dance from April to September and on other traditional dates as they occur. The rest of the year is spent in practice at the Medway Arts Centre on Tuesdays from 8pm to 10pm. New dancers and musicians are always welcome, just drop in.
Contact them on 01634 313310 or email on bishop.gundulfs@blueyonder.co.uk
They have their web page at http://www.gundulfs.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Blackheath Morris Men dance Cotswold Morris
They can be contacted on 020 8661 1585 or email on The_Newsons@hotmail.com
They have their web page at http://www.blackheathmorris.com
Boughton Monchelsea is a mixed Side which dances very enthusiastically in the Border style of Morris Dance in our colourful tatters of red, yellow, black & white. We are very proud to say that Boughton Monchelsea Morris is 25 years old this year, still going strong & thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We practise weekly in Maidstone throughout the winter & dance out every week throughout the Summer months. They can be contacted on 01795 843331 or email on trevandrea@tiscali.co.uk
Copperfield Clog is a women's North West Clog Morris dance side. We are based in the village of Higham, near Rochester, Kent, England. Copperfield Clog performs traditional Clog Morris dances that originated in the mill towns of Lancashire, North West England from around the 1890's to early 1900's. Copperfield Clog has a kit of white blouses with rust brown skirts, decorated straw hats and, most importantly, hand-made clogs. Contact the secretary on 01474 822148 or 01474 824346. or via email at copclog@aol.com
They have their web page at http://members.aol.com/copclog/Clog1.htm
Dance Blackface border morris as well as performing a Hoodening play around Christmas. Contact is Chris Janes (bagman) Tel: 01227 264851
email: segoy@btinternet.com
One of the oldest sides in Kent. See their Web site or contact the bagman Cliff Robinson on 01233 720435 or email scribe@ekmm.org.uk
Extremely entertaining! But is it morris as we know it Jim? They have there own web site at http://www.Fezheads.com or can be emailed at Towers@Fezheads.com
Frog Island were formed as a one-off entertainment for a village fete at Istead Rise near Gravesend in 1982. They formed a "proper" side in 1984 and have now grown to a group of 19 regular dancers plus musicians
Contact them on 01474 832929
Greenwich can be contacted via either the Squire Colin Endean or the Bagman Ged Balmer
and have a web page at http://www.greenwichmorrismen.com
Hartley are a Mens cotswold side from Wrotham They have their own web site at http://members.aol.com/hartleymen/HMM.html
Headcorn Morris consist of a mens side formed in 1973 and a ladies side formed in 1977. They concentrate on Cotswold dances but also perform dances developed by past and present members of the side as a living tradition for the future. On occasions you will also see Jason their Hooden Horse
Headcorn’s web site is at http://www.headcornmorris.com and email at headcorn.morris@gayner.co.uk
Invicta Morris is a group of women Morris dancers dedicated to having a good time while hoping to entertain and amuse audiences along the way.
Formed in 1976 their name, colours, and emblem are taken from the Kentish badge. They are based around the Sevenoaks area but dance all over the country and abroad.
They have their own Web site Contact the Squire on 01959 564446 and can be contacted by email
The Iron Brood were a childrens side based at Boughton Aluph near Ashford. The side wasmade up of both boys and girls of primary school age. They danced mainly cotswold with some longsword and border thrown in. They can are no longer running but at least 4 of them have gone on to other sides
Based in Dartford, Kent Korkers Ladies started dancing in 1982 and the mens team, Pork Scratchins started dancing in 1989. They perform a mixture of styles of dancing including north west, border and several maypole dances. They dance all around the country and abroad and can be contacted via
Lisa Bradley by morris@kentkorkers.co.uk They have a web site at http://www.kentkorkers.co.uk/
The team performs all over Kent at local events and venues, but also travels further afield. Since 1986, we have danced at festivals and Morris gatherings all over England as well as abroad in Canada, France, Holland, Hong Kong, Scotland, Turkey and the United States.
Practices are held most weeks throughout the year at St Nicholas Church Hall, Poplar Grove, Maidstone.
For further information, contact the secretary, Ian Sharp, telephone: 01622 721778/618685 or emai: They have a web site at http://www.kettlebridgeclogs.org.uk/
A mixed cotswold side from the Maidstone area with
a web page at http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/drive/xrz18/morris.htm Contact via email on ginga@dial.pipex.com
or 01622 685370 A womens side who do their own brand of border morris.
They have a web site at http://www.loosewomen.org.uk
and can be contacted on 01622 831672 or at Lanie77@ntlworld.com Maenads have their own web site at http://www.maenads.me.uk/.
They can be contacted by email on mail@maenads.me.uk Motley Morris are a Blackface Border Morris team. They are very involved in
the Rochester Sweeps Procession over the Mayday Bank Holiday. Web page at http://www.motley-morris.co.uk/
Contact the secretary, Pete Ashby
on email
Based at Frittenden near Cranbrook. Dancing since 1980. Danced only the high
stepping Oddington tradition in a style they have made their own and which has
been seen at every major festival in England as well as on several successful
North American tours. Kit was all white. Speed is slow. Leapfrogs are very high.
Mr Jorrocks have stopped dancing due to lack of numbers and creaking knee joints.
Contact Tim Bull (bullt@saga.co.uk) A womens dance side from the Rainham area. Contact Helen Platt 01634 231765 Offcumduns are a mixed Morris side who perform North West clog morris.and have
a web page at http:/http://www.btinternet.com/~trevsworld/offcumduns/index.htm Contact Pat Daniels on 01843) 868922 Evenings or
email Oyster Morris consist of a Mens and a Ladies side. The original "White
Shoe Morris". They are based around the Canterbury area and are often seen at other events
across the country. They have their own web site at http://www.oystermorris.org.uk/ For contact Megan Taylor on 01227-722332 or by email to megantaylor@beeb.net
More than a border side. They perform mummers plays, hoodening,
their own inimitable style of border morris and generally have a good time.
Based around Lenham but seen all over the place.
Contact is via Gail Duff on 01622 858460 or tradsfolkarts@btconnect.com Ravensbourne are the longest established side in Kent.
They are based in Bromley and are a mens Cotswold side. Contact http://www.ravensbourne.org A Cotswold Morris side from the Royal Borough of Tunbridge Wells. Contact the Bagman Ray Collins on 01892 653444 Perform a Hooden play in the weeks before Christmas around the Folkestone and
Hythe area Contact Doug Quinney on 01303 275258 Seven Champions may or may not exist but have their own web site at http://www.sevenchampions.org.uk/ A Ladies North West Clog Morris side from the Dartford area. Contact through the secretary Pat Osbourne on 01322 385985 The hoodeners perform a traditional style play (freshly written every year)
around the villages of the Isle of Thanet during the week before Christmas.
They have their own web site at http://www.hoodening.org.uk/
A mixed side from the Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells area performing in the
Cotswold tradition Contact Sue Knight 01732 359377 Performing traditional Mummers plays in the winter and Robin Hood May Game
plays during the summer. They also perform a Hooden Horse play. Contact Geoff Doel 01732 366857. The Wadard Morris Men were formed in the autumn of 1977 in the Village of Farningham
alongside the River Darenth. The claret, green and gold colours and its emblem
were taken from the Coat of Arms of the village, these in turn being derived
from the Bayeux Tapestry. They have their own web site
Wantsum are a mens Cotswold Morris side based in the Canterbury area. They
wear distinctive black and yellow tabards and tricorn hats. They have a website at http://www.wantsummorrismen.org/
or Contact the bagman Phil Edmonds on 01227 766073 or email at Wantsum1@tinyworld.co.uk Weald of Kent are a Mens Cotswold side based around Cranbrook. They have a
web site at http://www.wealdofkentmorris.org.uk/ Contact the Bagman, Tim Dwyer by
emai West Hill are a Mens Cotswold side based around the Bexley area. There web site is at http://www.westhillmorris.care4free.net/
Contact the Squire, Peter Quirk, on 020 8302 4763 or Email on squire@westhillmorris.org.uk
White Star perform both Longsword and Rapper and are based around Wrotham Contact Simon Evens on 01622 812158 They also have a web site on http://vzone.virgin.net/graham.harman-baker/WhiteStar.html Wolf's Head and Vixen Morris are a Border Morris side. This is the most primitive
and arguably the most exhilarating of the Morris dancing styles. It is traditionally
distinguished by the tattered rag jackets, sticks and blackened faces of the
dancers. Wolfs Head go one further by dressing all in black. Wolf's Head Morris are based in the Medway Towns. New dancers and musicians
are welcome. They have their own web site Contact
John on 07941 33 45 27 (evenings) Woodchurch are a mens cotswold Morris Side based around the village of Woodchurch. Contact via Geoff Smith on 01233 860330
or email on gps295@hotmail.com Most sides with a web page will have a list of events where they will be performing
(It will also have a list of events where you have missed seeing them perform!)
If you are a Morris Side in Kent and I have left you out, I apologise, drop me a note and I will add you in. Return to the Index Look at some of the other bits of our Rich
Tradition You can contact Pete Thomas by email on pete@richtradition.co.uk,
Kits Coty
Loose Women
Maenads
Motley Morris
Mr Jorrocks Morris
Dancers
Oast 'Ouse 'Oppers
Offcumduns
Oyster
Morris
Rabble
Ravensbourne
Royal Borough
Sandgate
Hoodeners
Seven Champions Molly Dancers
St Clements Clogs
St Nicholas at Wade Hoodeners
Tonbridge Morris
Tonbridge Mummers and Hoodeners
Wadard
Wantsum
Weald Of
Kent
West
Hill Morris Men
White Star Sword Dancers
Wolf's
Head and Vixen Morris
Woodchurch Morris