Old Meg Morris (OM) was formed in 1977 as an all-female, Cotswold Morris dance side but soon switched to the North-West style of dancing. North-West (NW) Morris developed in the mill towns of NW England in the latter half of the 19th century, where it became an integral part of the rush-cart and Rose Queen festivals that were popular in that part of the country. Originally the dances were all designed to be performed as part of a procession but gradually dance sides adapted them to be performed on the spot.

Many of the dances bear the names of the towns where they originated, such as Colne, Goostrey, and Mobberley, but over time have been modified to suit each group, so one side’s version of Goostrey may not be quite the same as another’s. Other dances, not strictly from the NW, have also crept into the repertoire and many new dances in the NW style have also been developed. OM includes dances such as Herne Bay (Kent), Whitby (NE) and St Giles (Edinburgh) as well as newer ones such as Portland Hill (In Nottingham) and Celebration (a dance that can be performed solo or with multiple dancers).

Clogs are an important part of NW Morris in recognition of its origins. They are usually ‘shod’ with irons or hard rubber soles which make a wonderful percussive sound during a performance.

In 2000, OM became a mixed side, welcoming men for the first time. Our costume or ‘kit’ is a striking contrast of red dresses for the women and white shirts with black trousers and waistcoats for the men.