The Gate to Southwell Procession

The Gate to Southwell is a traditional Whitsuntide procession, dating back, one way or another, to 1109.  Since 1981, the "revived" Gate To Southwell has been an annual event for many local Morris dance teams. (For the full story, take a look at our HISTORY section!)

The Gate normally starts in Nottingham's City Centre in the Old Market Square.  The Lord Mayor makes a speech, and hands over the "Southwell Pence".  Bob Hine makes a joke about the Lord Mayor leading the procession on horse back.  All the dancers (and approximately 75% of Lord Mayors, over the years) laugh. 

We then process out of the city, through the historic Lace Market area, and into Sneinton. The Sneinton Environmental Society has adopted the Gate as part of its own calendar, and we always get a rousing reception - Tom Huggon making a speech liberally spiced with topical satire. Members of the Sneinton Environmental Society then escort the procession to the bounds of the parish.

Thereafter, it all gets a bit hazy.  There is a big dance spot at Burton Joyce, and there are performances at various pubs on the way.  Some people walk the whole distance; others do it in relays, using buses or minibuses to get to the next pub that bit quicker.  Eventually, after a very long day, we all rendezvous at Southwell, and process up the main street to the Minster.  The Southwell Pence are handed over to a bemused but grateful Chapter Clerk, and we retire to the Bramley Apple where there is free beer for the dancers and walkers.

It's a good day out.  In the sunshine, what could be nicer than a gentle stroll through the beautiful Trent valley accompanied by scores of Morris dancers in bells? 

The Southwell Pence

It all started in 1109 when it was decided to build a "Mother Church" at Southwell - what is now known as Southwell Minster.  Churches don't come cheap, so they hit on a ruse to invite people from all over the Diocese to walk to Southwell and bring money with them.  The walking made it a nice day out, and the bus fare thus saved could be given to the church.  The perfect plan!  

The amount given by each parish varied, according to the wealth and generosity of the parishioners.  Nottingham, for example, gave 13 Shillings and 4 Pence (about 66p), whereas lowly Stanton gave only 5d  (about 2p).   The whole lot came to 15 Pounds, 18 Shillings, 7 Pence and one Farthing.  In today's money, just under 16 quid - the cost of a CD - but in those days, enough to buy a whole steeple, or a good sized nave.

Collecting for the Nottingham Hospice charity

As part of the modern Gate to Southwell, each side takes a purse of old (pre decimal) coins representing the contribution of their local parish.  These are handed over at the end of the procession, and then a cheque for the equivalent amount in new money is handed over.  We've noticed that the Minster isn't getting any bigger, but the Chapter Clerk now has a fantastic collection of CDs!

Traditions of the Gate

The Gate has developed many modern traditions of its own.  As mentioned above there is Bob Hine's traditional joke about the Lord Mayor and the horse (considerably less spicy than that makes it sound), and the speech from  the Sneinton Environmental society.

Many years ago, the procession happened to be passing as a farmer was planting a sapling.  The dancers offered to dance around the tree to bring it luck (as you do) and ever since then, we have danced around the same tree (or one very like it nearby). 

Then there's the stream at Thurgarton:  if it's hot, it's nice to jump in to cool off;  if it's raining, it doesn't matter if you get wet.  Either way, there is a long tradition of individuals deciding to process along the stream bed. 

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the developing Gate tradition is the number of old people along the way who tell us that they remember watching the procession go past when they were young.  As there was a gap of several hundred years between the 1981 Gate and the previous Gate, it makes you wonder ...

Thanks to ...

The Gate just wouldn't be the same without the efforts and enthusiasm of many people, including:

• Springhead Brewery, who provide a very welcome pint of their best ale for the walkers and dancers  at the end of a long day.

• The Landlords of the Bramley Apple.

• Bleasby Womens' Institute.

• The Dean and Chapter Clerk at Southwell Minster.

• Tom Huggon and the Sneinton Environmental Society.

• Nottingham's Sherriffs and Lord Mayors.

• Bob Hine, Chris Gigg and all the members of Dolphin Morris who have helped to revive and maintain the tradition.

• And all the morris teams and walkers who have ever taken part in the Gate.