Whitethorn Morris Dance in Front of Ye Olde Fighting Cocks

Ye Old Fighting Cocks 1921
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Although this ancient inn is protected and little changed over the years, the surrounding landscape is now attractive with paving, seats and trees by the edge of the millstream which flows into the lake at the bottom of Fishpool Street. The new landscaping provides a good area for displays of morris dancing so it always features in the programme for St Albans annual Festival parade and Day of Dance  each June.   

The 2008 procession was led through the City Centre by the Abbey puppets and traditional local morris dancers, plus Trachtengruppe Kussnacht from Rigi, Switzerland. The climax of the parade was a massed display of dancing in the High Street watched by thousands and thousands of city centre spectators and market stallholders.

The dancing continued all day in front of the Alban Arena, in the Maltings and Christopher Place shopping centres, by the Clock Tower and Market Cross, and later in the afternoon on the lovely paving in front of Ye Olde Fighting Cocks.  

One of the teams of dancers was locally based Whitethorn Morris from Harrow who looked splendid in their scarlet and blue kit and shiny black clogs. The music was supplied by their large band of squeeze boxes and drums including me with my piano accordian.