| Joseph
Goodlake was one of 14 children born to Sutton publican
George Goodlake, and his brothers were possibly fellow
dancers. The main Stanton Harcourt 'man of the
morris' however, was John
Potter (1813 - 1892) who played the pipe & tabor
(also fiddle) for the morris all over Oxfordshire. Potter
was also a resident of Sutton and his skill with the
pipe was legendary. ("He could almost make un speak!").
He is buried in the churchyard of St. Michael.
Some 9 dances have been reconstructed
from the source material; 5 using sticks, 3 handclapping
and 1 handkerchief dance. In addition 2 further
dances in the same style will be performed including
a 'morris off'.
Stanton Harcourt is unusual in having
predominately stick dances, since they were not taken
up by surrounding villages who stayed true to the older
handkerchief dances. The dances are also unusual
in that they commence with an inward facing set.
The Stanton
Harcourt dances were performed by members of the
Icknield Way Morris Men who are currently keepers
of the tradition.
The last performance at the Manor of
a Stanton Harcourt Side was some 140 years ago. |
Photo Album
View across the Green
