History and the Morris Dance: A Look at Morris Dancing from Its Earliest Days Until 1850

In the middle of the 1970s, a storm swept through the world of Morris: women had started to dance what, up to then, had been widely considered to be a men-only tradition. John Cutting had joined Herga Morris in 1972 and was thus a newcomer at the time, and he was both surprised and curious at the strength of the emotions aroused. His long-standing interest in history was triggered and the seeds that grew into this book were planted. What, then, was this Morris tradition? Was it entertainment? Was it some mystical rite? Or was it somewhere halfway between? Where did it come from and how old is it? This book attempts to separate fact from fantasy and to answer some of these questions.