Rushcart traditions celebrated with new board by popular footbridge

AN information lectern celebrating the history of local Rushcarts and Saddleworth Morris Men has been installed in Uppermill.

Located by the new Church Road footbridge, it was permitted by Oldham Council and aims to mark the important standing both the side and annual festival hold in the local area.

Jack Williams, member of Saddleworth Morris Men and Rushcart Secretary, said: “Although people will be aware of the Rushcart in its current form, rushes have been taken up the Church Road route on carts since the middle-ages.

“They were subsequently strewn on the earthen floor as a renewable covering on Saddleworth Church.

“This became a competitive annual event during Wakes Week when the mills closed and every village or hamlet in Saddleworth would build a Rushcart and try to out-do each other.

“The lectern includes further detail on the tradition’s origins, with images of rushcarts and local people from the 1800s in recognisable locations throughout Uppermill and Greenfield.”

Saddleworth Morris Men was established as a side in 1974 at a time when there was a resurgence in the interest in creative British traditions.

Local man Peter Ashworth painstakingly researched history and dances by interviewing members of the community, including Harold Buckley, who took part in or had memories of Rushcart celebrations.

Peter had requested the previous bridge was installed at a height that would allow the tradition to continue, which was granted thanks to a planning officer Philip Sweet in 1979.

Jack added: “I originally contacted Oldham Council to seek assurances that the new bridge would be at a height that would allow the Rushcart to pass under.

“After being put in touch with Steve Bird at the Unity Partnership, I also remembered being told about how the original bridge came to be.

“It seemed a good idea to request that the history of the area’s Rushcarts would be marked.

“The Side wishes to thank Oldham Council, the Unity Partnership and Rowan Ashworth Ltd for making this possible.”

Steve Bird, Senior Engineer for Drainage & Structures, Highways & Engineering at Unity Partnership, said: “Getting this little bit of local history into the public domain is fantastic and I think this adds social and educational value to the project.

“I feel very strongly that we should celebrate and promote our cultural history as much as possible to remember those who went before us.

“As fate would have it, Peter’s son’s firm Rowan Ashworth Ltd was installing the bridge and offered to fund and put in place the information lectern once I spoke to him.

“It is with all sincerity when I say that it’s been a pleasure conversing with the side and I have genuinely enjoyed learning about Saddleworth Morris Men and the Rushcart traditions.”

Cllr Amanda Chadderton, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, added: “We’re always keen to encourage raising awareness of important pieces of local social history.

“Saddleworth Morris Men play an important role in the local area, and the annual Rushcart festival attracts fantastic footfall that provides a boost to the local economy while bringing joy to hundreds of people. Long may it continue.”

Saddleworth Rushcart in its current form began in 1975 and has taken place every August since (barring during the pandemic), attracting Morris dancing sides from across the UK, Europe and as far away as Australia.

Sides pull the Cart, which weighs approximately two tonnes, through several villages including Uppermill, Greenfield, Delph and Dobcross.

The next Rushcart is due to take place on August 20 and 21 with dancing taking place in each village.