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Some of our past members Royal Preston Morris Dancers resulted from a merger of Preston Royal Morris Dancers and Royal Lancashire Morris Dancers in 2000. Both teams danced the North-West Morris traditional dances which dates back to the last decades of the last century. The dances developed principally in the industrial towns of the area, each town having it's own side with their own dances which they danced in local festivals and processions. Church walking days usually at Whitsuntide were common venues and the dances can be traced to towns and villages, "Fleetwood" and "Chuchtown" or to parishes in Preston, "St Ignatius" and "St Walburg's". The dances were collected by the founders of the teams and have been danced around the area at many events but most importantly at the Preston Guild(1992), which is held every twenty years .North-West tradition has eight dancers and their costume reflects their origins; clogs are worn on the feet (two pairs, one with irons for outdoors and one with rubbers for indoors) and a colorful costume with ribbons, sashes, hats and bells to complete the outfit. The dancers carry either decorated sticks or mollies (cotton rope). The dances are accompanied by a band usually containing melodeon or accordian plus whistles, flutes, fiddles, banjoes etc. The tunes played are usually from the English tradition and many go back several centuries. Perhaps most popular are Cock O'The North and Hundred Pipers   Royal Lancashire Kit Preston Royal Kit   The Teams begin to merge.