Today’s speaker was Gary Springfellow who was talking about Rushbearing its history and development and to how it is today. The concept was that the rush cart pulled by several men would lead a procession of Morris dancers and the like around certain villages going from ale house to ale house (so basically a pub crawl) and the meaning was that it would finish at a church where they would lay rushes on the floor to give a bit of warmth in the church during the winter months.
The first reference to it appears to be in the 1500’s mainly in the north of England and has continued to this day in various strongholds.
There are two local areas that still have Rushbearing festivals one at Upper Mill and the other at Sowerby Bridge. Both festivals are well worth a visit.