Saddleworth Rushcart Festival 2013 dedicated to Nicola
The 2013 Saddleworth Rushcart makes its way towards Delph – photo Stuart Littleford
The Saddleworth Rushcart Festival this year is dedicated to PC Nicola Hughes of Saddleworth who was murdered on duty almost a year ago.
The rushcart is displaying a large banner with Nicola’s collar number and the words ‘Our Nic’ written on it. It started out early on Saturday morning and made its way around the area, followed by a large number of Morris Men and members of the public.
The Saddleworth Rushcart is an old tradition but it died out in the early 20th century. In 1975 Saddleworth Morris Men decided to build a rushcart reviving the tradition once again. Since then one has been built each August.
The wooden cart is loaded with three tonnes of carefully cut fresh rushes stacked five metres high, it is then decorated with banners and one brave Morris dancer is chosen to sit on top.
The cart is then pulled around the villages by over a hundred dancers from various parts of England as a band takes the lead in front.
On Sunday the rushes are taken to Saddleworth Church and later there is wrestling, gurning and plenty of song and dance.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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