Heather And Gorse Clog Dancers Entertain At Chudleigh

A Memory of Chudleigh.

Chudleigh hosts a wonderful Christmas late night shopping evening each year when the Christmas lights in Fore Street are switched on. The shops stay open until late evening and their windows twinkle with fairy lights and decorations. Shops, cafes and pubs are crowded and stay open late in the evening, and the place is transformed into a fairyland of old-fashioned entertainment and street traders.  

The Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers and I went along to provide part of this entertainment and I played my piano accordian in the band and my wife Elizabeth was one of the team of dancers. We took our one-year old granddaughter Anna in a puchchair and made sure she was well wrapped up to keep warm! We had a big band of squeezeboxes and drums. The dancers looked magnificent in their smart kit of black waistcoats, bright blue skirts and shiny black wooden clogs as they danced six times during almost an hour long performance. The best spot to play and dance is the wide road in front of Kingsley House. Handy for a traditional glass of mulled wine or a beer for any thirsty performers!

Nearby there were other entertainers singing Christmas carols so it was a truly lovely evening. We have lovely memories of this traditional entertainment and hope that not only do the Christmas shopping evenings continue to thrive but that the local support for both the shops and the performers continues too as we had a great time dancing and playing music. Our granddaughter Anna loved the twinkling lights and was fascinated by the music and dancing in the streets.