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Continuing Northumberland’s traditions
46th
Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering
5th to 7th April 2013
Orienteering at the Gathering ►
 As
2013 is the centenary of the death of suffragette Emily
Davison, who fell under the hooves of the King’s horse at
the 1913 Derby and is buried in St Mary’s Churchyard in
Morpeth, there will be special events on the theme of Emily
Davison and a strong focus on women during the usual spread
of concerts, workshops, dancing, sessions, street shows,
dialect, craft and competitions at the 46th Morpeth
Gathering. Held the weekend after Easter, the annual
festival of Northumberland’s folk music and traditions is
earlier than in recent years - thanks to an early Easter the
50-plus indoor and outdoor events will be from 5th to 7th
April.
The main indoor venues will be the Town Hall and Chantry
Bagpipe Museum, with outdoors the Market Place seeing market
stalls and entertainers, battle re-enactments in the park
and a storytellers’ garden at the Millennium Green.
The Friday evening gala concert, “The North Country Lass”,
will feature local female musicians and singers including
Werca’s Folk choir singing leader Sandra Kerr’s song about
Emily Davison, while Sandra will appear in Saturday
afternoon’s free family show. During the weekend musical duo
Hautbois will perform music of the suffragette era and
actors Lottie and Ray Alexander will portray characters from
that period in history.
Going back further in time, to herald the visit to the
region later in the year of the Lindisfarne Gospels,
families can prepare Anglo-Saxon artwork for the Saturday
morning pageant in sessions in the big tent. The music and
stories of the Anglian era will be performed by Squeak’s
Noyse and Sedayne and Rapunzel. Leading musicologist Graeme
Lawson will talk about Anglo-Saxon lyres and their music,
Colm O’Brien will tell us about the history and significance
of the Lindisfarne Gospels, and musician Rachael Hales,
experienced in both traditional and contemporary
music-making, will present a multi-media composition
inspired by an ancient legend.
Two former staunch supporters of the Gathering will sadly be
missing this year, but Fred Brierley, who ran the Saturday
singaround for many years, will not be forgotten when the
group Beeswing steps in to take his place. A new competition
will be held, in memory of the late poet and storyspinner
Terry Common, famed for telling tall tales - the Hoafy
Trophy will be awarded to the person judged to have told the
most convincing lie.
The Gathering is preceded by a fund-raising concert on
Friday 8th March featuring some of the area’s top local
musicians.
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