THE streets of Wantage will come alive with music and dance next month when Icknield Way Morris Men celebrate their golden anniversary.

About 150 dancers will make the Market Place their stage when they perform traditional English dances for shoppers and visitors on Saturday, July 4.

More than 12 morris teams will show off their skills between 10.30am and 5pm.

And the celebrations don’t stop there – a barn dance, jointly organised by White Horse Ceilidhs, will take place in Old Mill Hall, Grove, from 8pm.

The Oxfordshire-based Woodpecker Band, one of the best known electric folk dance bands in southern England, will play the tunes as caller Mike Courthold guides people through the dances.

The Icknield Way Morris Men take their name from the ancient track – now better known as The Ridgeway – that runs across the Downs south of the town.

It was formed 50 years ago at Icknield School — which is now King Alfred’s Community and Sport College’s east site.

Pete Smith, the group’s bagman, said: “Morris dancing is an important ancient English tradition with roots going back to Tudor times.

“It is part of our national heritage and particularly important in Oxfordshire where there is a strong history of Morris dancing and several traditional teams which have been active for many generations.

“It’s an excellent team activity, bringing together people from all walks of life and is also enormous fun.”

Mr Smith, 64, of Uffington, joined the group 25 years ago.

He said: “I’m one of the older members and believe that regular dancing has helped to keep me fit and active.

The Icknield Way Morris Men currently has 35 members ranging in age between 12 and 65.

It has a repertoire of more than 40 dances from eight different Cotswold traditions.

Graham Hubbard, 29, the group’s squire, said he had been dancing since the age of five when his father introduced him to it in Leicestershire.

Mr Hubbard, of Ashdown Way, Grove, said: “I came to the area seven years ago and straight away joined Icknield Way. It’s in the blood. I’ve always found it great fun.

“I was elected squire in October last year as the group thought it would be a good idea to have a young leader leading the team into its 50th year.

“Morris dancing is kind of a way of life. We get to meet so many different people.

“We get to communicate with people of different age ranges and enjoy the thrill of performing.”

The dancers will round off their celebrations by dancing on top of White Horse Hill — the famous chalk landmark near Uffington – on Sunday, July 5.

Tickets to the Grove barn dance are priced £8 for adults and £4 for under 16s and are available from the Vale and Downland Museum, in Church Street, Wantage.

hcover@oxfordmail.co.uk