Morpeth Gathering to blend history, music and dance
Vanbrugh flavour for town’s three-day festival of events. Tony Henderson reports
Architect Sir John Vanbrugh created grand houses Blenheim Palace, Castle Howard in Yorkshire and Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland.
He also squeezed in Morpeth Town Hall in 1714 for the Earl of Carlisle and, in the person of costumed actor Ray Alexander, will be the guest of honour at the town’s annual festival of music, dance, dialect, crafts, stories, heritage and family events.
The three-day 58th Morpeth Gathering will run from Friday to Sunday (April 10-12) with a Vanbrugh theme marking the 300th anniversary of his death.
Vanbrugh’s colourful life saw him working as a trader in India for the East India Company, serving as an army officer, arrested on suspicion of spying in France and serving jail time in the Bastille, becoming a playwright and then a leading architect.
Ray Alexander/Sir John will tell the story of his life in a Sir John’s Delight show at Morpeth Town Hall from 7.30pm on Friday, with music from Stewart Hardy on fiddle and the Woolsington Strings ensemble.
Also on Friday there will be day-long dance workshops in the Town Hall Ballroom, with a session on 18th century dances at 10am, and the Bailiff’s Ball at the venue at 4.30pm is a re-creation of the 1726 Morpeth Grand Assembly.
On Saturday the East India Company Living History group will be at Carlisle Park from 10am, Sir John will be part of the Gathering procession at 11am at the Market Place, and from 4pm the Bagpipe Museum will feature 18th century music.
The museum will also be the location for 18th century-based music on Sunday at 12.30pm and 2pm.
“Sir John certainly has a story to tell,” said Kim Bibby-Wilson, chair of the Gathering voluntary committee.
“The Gathering is also about our pride in our historic Town Hall, the heart and soul of the community of Morpeth for over 300 years. The Gathering has always centred its events there to remind people it is a building to be used and cherished.”
“The Northumbrian Gathering will be a jam-packed three days of an exciting mix of family fun and culture with over 50 events offering chances to watch and listen to the stars of North East music, storytelling, heritage and drama, and also joining in with activities for all ages and perhaps learn and continue some of the wonderful traditional skills that are part of Northumberland’s living heritage.
“There will be 1726-era music and dance events dotted across the weekend among the usual run of concerts, dancing, stalls and re-enactments.”
The Gathering will also see the launch of the Alex Swailes Memorial Award for Children’s Speaking. Alex was the long-standing ‘Morpeth Gadgy’, the festival’s figurehead and performer.
Following his death last year his family has presented a prize for the best performance by a child up to 14 of a poem or tale lasting up to three minutes, spoken in Northumbrian dialect or on a Northumbrian theme.
On Saturday the new Gadgy, Ron Forster, in 18th century costume and carrying the Gadgy Staff, will welcome the event procession of entertainers to the Market Place.
The full programme is online at northumbriana.org.uk/gathering and the Gathering’s Facebook page.