Shawclough & Healey October 2019

Whitworth Rushcart
Procession and Celebrations
The annual Whitworth Rushcart celebrations took
place on the afternoon of Sunday 1 September
2019. For the first time we can remember it
actually rained on our parade but that didn’t
dampen the spirits of all who attended.
The procession left from Whitworth Museum featuring
numerous traditional morris dance troupes (including
the famous Britannia Coconutters and the Whitworth
Morris Men) led by the Rushcart itself.
Whitworth’s Rushcart history goes back hundreds of
years; initially the celebration was linked into the cutting
and collection of rushes to be strewn on the bare earth
or stone flagged floor of the church as a form of
insulation for the winter to come, taken to the church
on the cart. Out of this grew a celebration which was
enjoyed by the whole community. In the 1970s and
1980s the Rushcart was the highlight of the Whitworth
Fair week; in recent times the week-long festivities
have passed into history however the popularity of the
Rushcart itself in Whitworth is strong. The Rushcart now
takes place on a Sunday afternoon each September
rather than its traditional Friday night slot, and has
become more family-focused.
This year, our regular dancers were joined by Rivington
Morris and Bradshaw Mummers. The Bradshaw
Mummers are a street theatre group performing
traditional and contemporary plays based on the
medieval mumming traditions and Rivington Morris
are a women’s morris team who have developed
a reputation over the years for energy and precision.
Organisers wish to thank all our dancers and volunteers
who made this event the success it was.
For further information, please contact
Melanie Hearn, Whitworth Town Clerk on
01706 852018 or email: info@whitworth.gov.uk
(Monday to Friday, 9am – 2.30pm).
Photographs used with kind permission of Mike Burgess
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