VIDEO: THE ancient Lymm Rushbearing Festival returned to the village after an absence of two years, following a new route through the Dingle.
Organiser Chris Limb decided to stop the tradition two years ago due to the rising cost of road closures.
But he decided to revive it this year, using a route which didn’t involve road closures, with the parade of bull rushes taking place through the Dingle, to a special service at St Mary’s Church.
Members of the Parish Council, were joined by Lymm Morris, Bollin Morris and Lymm Jubilee WI and members of the public.
Lymm Rushbearing was re-born in the early 1970’s (having probably died out in the early years of the century, possibly during the First World War) and has been held on the second Sunday in August, although it has over the years been held on other days. For many years in the twentieth century Rushbearing Monday was a local bank holiday.
Ormerod’s late Victorian history of Cheshire refers to the festival taking place in many communities on or near to the feast of the parish’s patron saint – hence Lymm’s tradition of having the festival during the summer holiday period and close to the feast of the Assumption of Saint Mary.
Although the carrying of fresh rushes to church (normally on a horse-drawn cart) was a central feature, and the replacement of the old rushes upon the earthen church floor a very practical necessity in former days, this gathering of locals also involved festivities including not only the procession and Morris dancing but also sports, fairground stalls, and very full public houses!
Chris said: “It is great to keep the tradition alive while avoiding the expense of road closures.”
Parish Chairperson Cllr Anna Fradgley with Town Crier Peter Powell
Parish Council Chairperson Anna Fradgley
