The Dartington Morris Men have completed their 49th season of dancing in the South Hams, culminating with a crowd-pleasing performance at Saltram House.

For many years, Saltram has held an Apple Day Event and since its creation, the Dartington Morris Men have wowed visitors with their music and high energy display of England’s dancing traditions.

Morris dancing is one of many folk traditions that is experiencing a recent revival of interest, one of the reasons why the group perform at a variety of events marking the many old English folklore customs throughout the year in the South Hams.

Interestingly, Apple Day is a more recent tradition but the event at Saltram is based around the much more ancient Feast of Michael and All Angels, known as Michaelmas. It falls near the equinox and is associated with the beginning of Autumn and the shortening of days.

Traditionally, Michaelmas was one of the quarter days and one of the four dates when servants were hired, paid rents and leases began. However, the day is no longer relevant in todays society and has consequently fallen out of common vocabulary.

“It is a shame that these old customs have been forgotten” said Dan Shearer, Squire of the Dartington Morris Men. “Of course they were much more relevant when the pace of life was slower and the counting and marking of the seasons more important”.

As seasons go, next year will be an important one for the Dartington Morris Men as they celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2018.

“We are really looking forward to 2018, which will be marked by a number of special events” said Dan.

“We are also hoping budding musicians and dancers will want to join us in our 50th year. To encourage this we have put together a Christmas stocking filler promotion especially for the man that has everything. The ideal fun gift”.

The Dartington Morris men have been performing across the South Hams all through this year from the Dolphin Inn at Kingston, The Millbrook Inn at South Pool, Loddiswell fete and at Totnes Castle. Additionally, the dancers have performed at a variety of events this summer including Dartmouth and Salcombe regatta and the Midsummer Dreams Festival at Dartington Hall.

If you haven’t seen the Darlington Morris Men perform, the next performances will be on Boxing Day, at 12 noon at The Plains in Totnes or at 1pm on New Years Day at Hope Cove.