Ravensbourne Morris Men - Dancing Morris in Kent Since 1947

Ravensbourne Traditions

The Hooden Horse
A fugitive from East Kent, Hoodening was a winter custom probably pagan in origin linked to the winter solstice.

The horse has been part of the Ravensbourne tradition since the side was formed. There are references to a horse operated by Balgowan School in Beckenham (see History) appearing at Aylesford Folk Dance Festival, and later at Herne Hill in 1936.

There is an excellent hoodening site
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/bj1/hood/bjhood.htm
if you would like to learn more.

The Mummers Play
The mummers play that we perform around the local pubs at Christmas time was collected by Jeff Metcalf, a founder memeber of Ravensbourne from Jack Medhurst in the village of Leigh near Tonbridge in 1953. Jack remembered performing the play in the Westerham area around the turn of the 19th century.The script of the play can be found here

For a history of mumming and other traditional folk plays see http://www.folkplay.info/

Boxing Day
For over 40 years we have danced at the Greyhound at Keston on Boxing Day lunchtime.

At Christmas time 1963, the actor Richard Chamberlain, then at the height of his fame as "Doctor Kildare", paid an incognito visit to Bromley, staying with some friends of Peter Paddon.

A display was organised for his especial benefit on Boxing Day in the pouring rain outside The Greyhound, to an audience of about three dozen people. The event must have been deemed a success, because the display was repeated the following year, raising the princely sum of £9 14s 11d (not far short of a working man's weekly wage in 1963!) which was donated to the Shaftesbury Society.

The event has been repeated every year since, these days, the audience is somewhat larger!

Mayday Morning
Ravevensbourne start their official dancing season each year by dancing at sunrise (5.32am) on Mayday morning at Caesar's Well,Keston Ponds, source of the River Ravensbourne. on Keston Common.

This is followed by a walking tour around the village, visiting various 'friends' of the side who ply us with cups of tea and sometimes something stronger!