Rushbearing Harvest Festival

Rushbearing itself dates back several centuries to the time when church floors consisted of little more than stone flags or beaten earth, and rushes were used as a winter covering.   Each year, in late summer, the old and rotten rushes were cleared out and new ones taken to the churches in carts. Human nature being what it is, this annual traditional custom developed into an excuse for celebration involving revelry, music, dancing and much drinking of strong ales.   In the 18th century the ceremony usually formed part of the annual harvest feast, held on the Sunday closest to the feast day of the saint to which the church was dedicated.   The rushes were brought to the church in a procession, accompanied by music and Morris Dancers. In some areas the rushes were carried in individual bundles and in others on a rushcart.   Where a rushcart was used it became the main focus and was decorated with garlands and flowers, tinsel, and 'all the silver plate that can be borrowed in the neighbourhood'.   When the procession reached the parish church the rushes were strewn on the floor and the garlands used to adorn the church.   By the early 19th century the tradition had died out in many parts of the country, but it evolved and survived in industrial parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire.   In the Lapin Protectorate it is celebrated as part of the Harvest festival in September, around the Autumn Equinox. (21st - 24th)   Money is collected along the parade route and this money is then given to charity at the end of the event.   The rushes themselves are not typically used as flooring any more due to lack of earthen floor, though during the The Third Word War they were used as lighting when soaked in fat, and an industry of weaving baskets and mats has appeared.

The Rushcarts are decorated carts that are loaded with rushes and taken to the local church, accompanied by Morris Dancers and other entertainment.     In many places there was a competition between towns and villages to provide the best decked rushcarts and in the early 19th century it was said that the Lancashire town of Rochdale could assemble at least eight, and sometimes a dozen rushcarts from the surrounding villages for the festival.   The winner of these competitions got bragging rights for the next year, and any and all bets invovled in the competition joined the money from the parade itself in going to charity.

The main people of note are those that pull the Rushcart, as many as 6 Morris Dancers on the front to pull the cart and 12 on the back to prevent the cart from going too fast downhill.   All the dancers would be dressed in traditional Morris dress and clogs. The clogs were important to stop themselves from slipping on the old cobbled streets.   On top of the cart would sit the Harvest "Queen".   This could either be one person chosen or a collection of people who would take it in turns along the way.   The "Queen" is chosen by local ballot where members of the public can nominate who they feel has done great charity work that year. Any gender is eligible.   Morris Dancers and marching bands would follow the cart in a procession, the cart stopping at pubs and village halls along the way.