Lancashire Handicraft Heritage

My Mum's side of the family is from the village of Bacup in Lancashire. Each year on Easter Saturday, a very unusual Morris dancing troupe, called the Britannia Coconutters, make their way around the town performing a clog dance involving beating rhythmically on wooden discs strapped to their hands and knees.

Although Morris has its critics there is something primeval about this pagan custom that I really enjoy, and it is certainly a spectacle. I also love the traditional Northern music played by Stacksteads Brass Band which accompanies the dance.

Here are some videos I took:

This year I really wanted to get back to my heritage and have some traditional folk clogs to wear to watch the "Nutters". Master clogmaker Phil Howard was kind enough to let me visit his home workshop in Stockport to be fitted up for handmade clogs.

I was really delighted that a lady in Bacup stopped in the street to show her little granddaughter the clogs, saying that they are what she used to wear as a child, as did my grandparents . They are beautifully crafted and I hope to try some dance workshops with the City Clickers in October.