English Country Music Weekend Friday 23 to Sunday 25 June 2017 Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire Programme of events and general information ECMW 2013 at Winster in Derbyshire
Welcome to Abbots Bromley Church House, Abbots Bromley Abbots Bromley is a village and civil parish within the English county of Staffordshire, England. A notably affluent part of the county, Abbots Bromley was rated the best place to live in the Midlands by the Sunday Times in 2013 and again in 2016. The Horn Dance The village is famous for the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, a tradition mentioned in the 17 th century, held annually in September, six dancers carry ancient reindeer antlers and perform a dance with a hobby horse, Maid Marion (a man dressed as a woman of course!) a boy with a bow and arrow and a jester. Dressed in Tudor costumes, they are accompanied by a musician and triangle player and perform their arduous dance throughout the day visiting households, farms and pubs!
Sessions Friday night Village Hall Millennium Hall.5.00pm til late Welcome Session Bagot Arms.6.00pm Session with Dave Hunt... Available for songs and tunes in other rooms Coach & Horses.7.00pm Available for Open Session Crown.9.00pm Bar and Function Room available for Sessions Goats Head.8.00pm - Session in lounge with Taz Tarry, Flos Headford and Simon Woods...Available from 8.00pm for Sessions in the bar Saturday Village Hall Millennium Hall....2.30pm 5.30 Open Session...8.00pm til late - Session with PolkaWorks. Crown.12.00am 3.00pm Function Room for Mixed tune and song Session with Malcolm & Ollie Woods and Gavin & Julie Atkin...3.00pm till late Function room - Available for Songs and tunes....probably 10.00pm onwards Restaurant for Open Session. Coach & Horses....11.00am 1.00pm E /B Session with Brian Read...1.00pm to 5.00pm Open Session Bagot Arms...12.00am 3.00 Session with Johnny Adams and Chris Partington....Available for Open Sessions in other rooms Goats Head.12.00am 3.00 Session in Lounge with Roger Digby and Liz Giddings...Available for Sessions in the bar Sunday Scout Hut....10.00am till 1.00pm Open Session Crown Function Room, Bagot Arms and Goats Head.Available from 12.00am to 2.00pm for Sessions Village Hall Millennium Hall...1.30 to 4.00 Farewell session with Electropathics
Talks/Workshops Saturday in the Scout Hut 10.30am 11.30...Rod Stradling - English Gypsy Musicians. This will be about the hunt for the illusive Harry Lee recordings, some information on the main contributors, Harry Lee and Vanslow Smith, and a brief overview of English Gypsy music. There will be recorded examples from the CD (which will be available for sale). 12.00pm 1.30...Moira Bracknell, Neil Brookes and Tony Weatherall, - 'Lost and found', the story of the discovery and recent recovery of the Hughes family manuscripts of Ash, Shropshire. A unique chance to view the original tune books and some of the instruments upon which the tunes were played. Also an opportunity to learn some of the tunes from the collection. Some music may be provided but tunes will be played in an informal session style for learning by ear. 2.00pm 3.30...Dave and Maggie Hunt 'The World Spins at 78rpm' A light hearted look at Dave and Maggie's huge collection of old records and recordings. This will include a brief history of the 78, including many oddities like an address by Marconi on 'The Wonders of Wireless' a record in Morse, early single sided disc of Harry Lauder, Pathe discs that start in the middle, Choirs of Canaries, 'Big Ben - with actual traffic noises', tiny records to play in a Dolls House, 'Exercise to increase the bust!..etc..but also lots of recordings of traditional singers, musicians and folk dance bands. A chance to look through choose your own to play!... 4.00pm 5.00...Paul Burgess Gloucestershire Traditional Musicians repertoire. What was it, where did it come from and what did they do with it? Sunday morning in the Village Hall. 11.00am 12.30...Doc Rowe It's that tune Again! Doc Rowe who has been visiting Abbots Bromley since the early 1970's, looks at the recent (and not too ancient) past of the Horn dance. Illustrated with footage, images and recordings, he'll also refer to some untold history from the last century.
Special events All Weekend Abbots Bromley Nostalgia There will be a static presentation by a small group who dedicate their time to keeping the history of Abbots Bromley alive for future generations. The display will be of the groups work in relation to the village and the Horn Dance and will be set up in the Parish Church (where the horns are normally kept under secure stowage). Saturday Abbots Bromley Horn Dance 5.00pm...Horn Dancers will take down the horns from the wall in the church, and will be dancing and processing from the Horse & Coaches to the Crown. 6.00pm...Village Hall Millennium Hall. The Horn Dancers will give a short talk and finish off. 6.30pm...Procession to return the horns to the church where they will be hung back on the wall until next time. (Note that times are approximate). Sunday Folk Service 10.00am...Parish Church Folk Service with the Revd. Simon Davis and contributions from guest performers. The Folklore Society Award 2.00pm (approx)...presentation For quite a number of years the Folklore Society has generously donated a barrel of beer for the weekend, but in the last 3 years Doc Rowe has presented a more tangible form awarded to recognise some individual or people who have contributed a great deal, enthused others and brought much support to English Traditional Music, Dance and Song. This year he will again be making a presentation which will be towards the beginning of the Farewell Session in the Village Hall.
General Information Registration: - Friday from 4.00pm 10.00 in the Village Hall - Saturday from 9.30am 2.30pm in the Scout Hut - Saturday from 2.30pm 5.00 in the Village Hall - Sunday from 10.00am 12.00 in the Village Hall Breakfast (for those who have booked) - 8.30am 11.00 at the Crown Tea and Coffee will be available at the Scout hut throughout the weekend, so help yourself. Parking is available in the Campsite field. Disabled parking only at Village Hall (on the Netball Court). The Camp site has toilets in the field at the entrance from the village hall, and water and a chemical disposal point at the back of the village hall. There are three fire points around the campsite with buckets of water and sand. Showers will be available for use by us between 6.00 and 8.00pm on Saturday Evening at Abbots Bromley School Sports Hall. NOTE that the Village hall is not available to us on Saturday until 2.30pm. Please try to keep clear of the Dance school coming and goings whilst they are using the hall during this period. Dogs are allowed in all pubs and the Scout Hut, but unfortunately not the Village Hall. The local WI will be providing Tea and Cakes at the Church House (Black and White house) on Bagot Street Saturday & Sunday between 2.30 and 5.00pm Cobwebs on Goose Lane serve tea and coffee, cakes, soup and ice creams between 10-5pm Saturday and 10-4pm on Sunday. The award winning Butchers will have some home made pies & pasties, quiches and scotch eggs and sausage rolls for sale on Saturday. There are 5 local walks between 2.75 and 6.4 miles long which can be found at www.abbotsbromley.com/walks/?walks Acknowledgements Thanks go to all those for their help in the preparation and delivery of the talks, those who have committed to leading sessions, all the stewards for their good work and to those from last years team who have helped us out. Thanks also go to Simon Wilson who has helped with local organisational tasks, the pub landlords, the Vicar and the Horn Dancers who have all joined in with great enthusiasm, and the Village generally for accommodating us, especially the Scouts, the Village Hall, and Abbots Bromley School for use of their showers. Organising Team: Angela & Roger Boydon, Mo & Ian Bradshaw, Helen & Colin Ablitt and Tim Veitch
ABBOTS BROMLEY VILLAGE Where it's all happening! Scout Hut Campsite and car parking Village Hall Bagot Arms Millennium Hall Bar snacks only. Three rooms. Indian Restaurant Church House Butchers Village Shop Saint Nicholas Parish Church Showers Cobwebs Tea Rooms Crown Goats Head Full food menu Lounge and bar Full food menu Bar and Function Room Coach & Horses Full food menu Lots of room