Excerpts from "Bath and East Anglia", May 2001, A journal of Kemp's Men Morris side tour of East Anglia.

A Hasty Retreat

Sketch left - Long Melford Church

"...The bus awaits on time, as ever in this well organised tour. However, two of our number are missing. A hunt up and down the high street retrieves Gary and Dave, who have been accosted by several local youths who had challenged them with the retort 'Are all Morris Dances Queer?'. To which Dave had replied 'Come into the car park and I'll give you a kiss!'. A hasty retreat was beat.

Hedingham Castle

"...From here it is a short drive to the exquisite Hedingham which sports a Norman Castle, a fine church, equally Norman and a choice pub called 'The Bell'. We have 15 minutes before we are scheduled to dance so some of us walk up the hill to the imposing ruin. The gate keeper tells us the castle is closed until 3pm as it is being used for a wedding. However, we persuade him that Morris men add colour to the proceedings and we are admitted free of charge! The ruin is very imposing and makes a good sketch. Our leader gives me permission and I'm nominated 'Artist in Residence' which gets me out of some dancing..."

Sleeping on a pub floor - the next morning...

"...Stagger into the Ladies at 7.15am only to find a naked Richard at the sink, not a pretty sight. Steve bursts in and catches two clerics in the Ladies, one in a pair of briefs, one not. He makes his excuses and leaves..."

Back to Journals ->
Next Journal ->

Back to Journals ->
Next Journal ->

Clare
 

Castle Hedingham
 

'A Lone Morris Dancer', Finchingfield