Hell's Morris-Persons

Apparently, not all Morris Dancers have jingling trousers and ponce about waving hankies.
This fact was bought home to me when we braved the sunny bank-holiday hordes and went off to Upton House in Oxfordshire. We were somewhat perturbed to discover that there was to be a display of morris dancing, but delighted when we realised that they looked something like the Oxford chapter of Hell's Angels - but slightly more threatening.
I am perhaps being a little unfair as they turned out to be totally charming and friendly, but they did have big sticks and looked as though they meant business. The dancing was set to the same tempo as the usual Morris fayre, but the normal swooning, limp-wristed hanky waving and synchronised skipping was replaced by some quite full-on stick-bashing, circling and snarling - something of a treat on a sunny day.
The spectacle was splendid, and enjoyed by all.

From now on, I will never be tempted to take the piss out of Morris Dancers - as long as they're armed with just hankies.

Edit: This form of dancing comes from the Borders of England and Wales. For our overseas blippers, this should give some insight into Morris Dancing.