Description

The idea that morris dancing captures the essence of ancient Englishness, inherently carefree and merry, has been present for over 400 years. The Ancient English Morris Dance traces the history of those attitudes, from the dance’s introduction to England in the fifteenth century, through the contention of the Reformation and Civil War, during which morris dancing and maypoles became potent symbols of the older ways of living. Thereafter it developed and diversified, neglected and disdained, until antiquaries began to take an interest in its history, leading to its re-invention as emblematic of Victorian concepts of Merrie England in the nineteenth century. The quest for authentic understanding of what that meant led to its revival at the beginning of the twentieth century, but that was predicated on the perception of it as part of England’s declining rural past, to the neglect of the one area (the industrial north-west) where it continued to flourish. The revival led in turn to its further evolution into the multitude of forms and styles in which it may be encountered today.

Publisher Review

'Michael Heaney's history of Morris dancing has been long and eagerly awaited, being forty years in the making, and does not disappoint. There is no doubt that it is the best book yet published on the subject, nor that for sheer comprehensive coverage it will be hard to replace.' - Ronald Hutton (2023): Folklore 'There can be no doubt that Heaney has provided the definitive work on this subject, seam lessly contextualising and expanding on the best earlier work in the field and providing a secure anchor for any future research... one of the many virtues of this book is that it discourages over-simplification. It confirms our understanding that morris dance has never been just one thing and that neither the dancers themselves, nor the com mentators they attracted, have been allowed to maintain position for too long.' - Peter Harrop (2023): Ethnomusicology Forum 'This is a massive book, over 500 pages including a 50 page bibliography, and it is probably not a book for the mythical 'general reader', but it is clearly and accessibly written, and does not assume any specialist knowledge on the part of the reader. It presents a lively, often humorous and very entertaining account of an often misunderstood activity, rooted in the deep history of England, but has always developed and evolved in response to the changes in the society in which it is practiced. It is well illustrated with prints and photographs, many in colour, and I am sure will be the authoritative history of morris-dancing for the foreseeable future.' - Richard Samuels (2023): Magonia 'Drawing on some forty years of archival research, Michael Heaney's book represents a landmark in the historiography of Morris dancing. For the first time ever, a comprehensive and consecutive narrative history from the mid-fifteenth century to the present day is contained within the covers of a single volume.' - Matthew Simons (2023): Folk Music Journal Volume 12