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Page updated: 12/07/2007

at Brewood [click for village web site] (Pronounced "brood") in Staffordshire

AIM - To present a Ring Meeting where the emphasis is on DANCING, camaraderie, and a little History, mostly Morris History. - NOT long bus tours, not in shopping malls in front of a populus that is merely curious, but aiming for pleasant enjoyable sites, where the audience has come to watch and learn.

Main meals (feast & breakfasts) will be by professional caterers (i.e. NO washing up !). Friday night will be Spit Roast probably hog, but could be beef or lamb. Sunday lunch “pre-plated” ploughman’s. Feast Main Course: Roast Lamb, or Broccoli Mornay, (Vegetarian alternative).

Friday

This is an informal period for getting settled in, exploring local hostelries, dancing, singing, nattering and meeting old and new friends. Our recommended list of Brewood Pubs will be published at reception.

We will put on an instructional session on the Lichfield Tradition, to be led by Jack Brown.
Jack has been involved since the tradition first came to light and he has written a book on the subject.

You will be taught "Stafford Style".

Clubs and individuals who have expressed interest are listed on the details page. Numbers are limited for this option.

Saturday

TOURS - For economy of time and costs, tours will use a “Figure 8” format. That means tour 1A is the reverse of tour 1B etc. This permits 6 tours from 3 routes and uses only 3 buses. The maximum distance from Brewood is Stafford, and most locations are within 10 miles, (several within 3)! Major tour locations will have a minimum ‘stay’ time of 1.5 hours, giving time to look round and to dance. Several stops provide dance spots for more than one side - so you can dance as much or as little as you like.

For a few, the  start will be in Brewood itself, at a Charity “Coffee Morning” being organised by local people. This is to thank them for the loan of their village and to put something back into the local community. Most tours will end at a pub near to Brewood for an end of day drink and moan, (if you have not had enough drink by then!)

All tours are split into two one going in one direction and one in the opposite direction. Tour 2 has an additional split, so that we do not overload the Canal Boat.

The three tours are:

1. The King Charles II Tour - This will include Moseley Old Hall, (where His Majesty hid after the battle of Worcester); Boscobel House, housing a descendant of THE Royal Oak Tree, (where His Majesty hid after the battle of Worcester).  Lunch will be at the  RAF Museum Cosford, (which would have been very handy for His Majesty after the battle of Worcester). Cosford is home to the impressive new "Cold War" exhibition. This tour will finish at the original Royal Oak Pub.

2. The Misdemeanours Tour - This tour relates to the arrest of local dancers in1665. It includes - Lapley, where the dancers were apprehended, (church and exhibition) [dancing at the Vaughan Arms]; Church Eaton, where their luckless musician John Low lived, [dancing at the Royal Oak] (Lunch spot in the Victorian Village Institute), and Stafford, where the dancers were taken to court.

[Dancing in Stafford will be around the town centre] probably: by the Ancient High House; behind St Mary's Church, and on the pedestrianised area by Marks and Spencer's, (regrettably, not in Market Square, as there is a Farmers Market on). There should be time to take a look at The Ancient High House, The Old Law Court, St Mary‘s Church, (where the miscreants may well have been tried!) and St Chad's Church, (see this if you are interested in "Green Men")

Part of this tour will include a 1 hr Vintage Narrow Boat Trip on the Shropshire Union Canal over the Telford A5 aqueduct from Brewood to Wheaton Aston, (which now includes Lapley Parish), or from Wheaton Aston to High Onn, or the reverse journeys for those who start in Stafford.

The finish, (for most), will be at "The Bell", (the Noted ‘Ham & Eggery’) at Stretton, where the second group of 1655 dancers came from (Stretton that is!). The group on the last canal trip will finish next to the Bridge Inn in Brewood, where they will stop for a song and dance session before walking the few yards back to the school.

3. The Culture Tour (Victorian Culture & Agriculture) - principally Blist's Hill, (a Victorian Town of the early industrial revolution), located near the Ironbridge Gorge and Abraham Darby's original "Iron Bridge". Lunch will be at the "Last Inn" at Church Aston. The other group will start at the  Newport Agricultural Show, (One of the best traditional agricultural shows in the country). 

The finish will be at "The Bell" at Tong, (Tong Church inspired Dickens Little Nell character).

The Feast will be held at the School, (7.30 for 8.00)

WE HAVE SOME VISITORS FOR THE SATURDAY ONLY.
PAYMENT FOR THIS OPTION INCLUDES TRANSPORT, LUNCH AND THE FEAST.

Sunday
Procession to church for morning service leaving at 9.15.

Massed dancing in Brewood from about 11,00, (hence no extra travel).

Real Ales for the weekend are from Wood’s Brewery, (Shropshire Lad, Parish Ale & their Specials), plus beers from other local small breweries, and Ciders.

The location will be at St Dominic's School, Brewood, Staffs.
Their web site can be found here, (but please do not contact the school about the Ring Meeting !!!!)

Access details can be found here

The accommodation will generally be indoor or outdoor camping, but caravan space is available and there are local guest houses, B&B, and small hotels nearby if required.

Click below for some off site accommodation links: (These are for information, not recommendations.) 

B&B: The Old Vicarage , Info from Brewood website , Slab Bridge, Church Eaton, Pool House and The Bridge House, Penkridge , The Leys House, Gnosall

Small Hotels:  Quality Hotel Penkridge, Featherstone Farm Hotel, Holiday Inn Stafford, Mount Hotel

Narrow boat mooring is within 100 yards, if you need it. For helicopter or balloon landing permission please contact SMM.

Enquiries: Messages to "ring @ staffordmorris.org.uk" [remove spaces]  will be answered or forwarded to the appropriate organisers.

Attendance requests must be sent to the Morris Ring as usual. Provisional cost £65, with some reduction for under 16s and "Saturday only" visitors.