Rushbearing Festival (1943) - British Pathé on YouTube
The Ambleside Rushbearing Festival is one of the most distinctive and enduring cultural traditions in the Lake District. Held annually in the town of Ambleside, Cumbria, it is a ceremony that blends ancient practical necessity with modern community celebration. While several villages in the north of England once practiced rushbearing, Ambleside is one of the few places where the tradition has continued almost uninterrupted for centuries. The festival typically takes place on the Saturday nearest to the feast day of St. Anne, the patron saint of the local parish church, making it a focal point of the summer calendar for residents and visitors alike.
At its core, the festival involves a procession through the streets of Ambleside, where participants carry ornate "bearings" made of rushes, flowers, and greenery. These bearings are often shaped into religious or local symbols, such as crosses, harps, and even the local church’s steeple. The sight of hundreds of people, primarily children, carrying these vibrant arrangements through the stone-built streets provides a direct link to the medieval history of the region, long before the arrival of modern flooring and heating.
The Practical Origins of Rushbearing
The origins of the festival are rooted in the physical reality of medieval church maintenance. In the centuries before carpets or stone flags were common in parish churches, floors were typically made of earth or clay. To provide insulation against the damp Cumbrian winters and to keep the interior smelling fresh, the floors were covered with a layer of dried rushes. These rushes acted as a primitive carpet, absorbing moisture and providing a soft surface for the congregation to kneel upon.
Over time, the rushes would become dirty, damp, and compressed. This necessitated an annual renewal of the floor covering. Usually in the summer months, when the local wetlands were abundant with new growth, the community would gather to cut fresh rushes. The act of bringing these rushes to the church became a communal event. It was a practical chore that naturally evolved into a social gathering, as families worked together to harvest and transport the materials needed to keep their place of worship functional.
The Evolution into a Ceremony
As architectural standards improved during the 17th and 18th centuries, many churches began to install permanent stone or wooden floors. This change rendered the practical need for floor rushes obsolete. In most parts of England, the tradition of rushbearing died out as a result. However, in certain pockets of the Lake District and the surrounding fells, the custom was so deeply ingrained in the local identity that it survived as a symbolic ceremony.
In Ambleside, the transition from a chore to a festival occurred gradually. Instead of simple bundles of loose rushes, people began to create decorative "bearings." The rushes were woven around wooden frames to create elaborate shapes, often adorned with seasonal flowers like lilies, roses, and hydrangeas. By the Victorian era, the Ambleside Rushbearing had established the format that is still recognizable today: a formal procession led by a brass band, followed by the clergy and children carrying their ornate floral displays.
The Procession and the "Rushbearing Hymn"
A central element of the modern Ambleside festival is the procession. The event begins with the participants gathering at a central point in the town, often near the primary school or the parish center. The "bearings" are distributed, and the group moves through the town center, stopping at key locations for short prayers or songs. The music is an essential component; the local brass band provides a rhythmic accompaniment that dictates the pace of the walk.
One of the most significant parts of the ceremony is the singing of the "Rushbearing Hymn." This hymn was specifically written for the Ambleside tradition by the Reverend Owen Lloyd in 1835. Lloyd was a friend of the famous poet William Wordsworth, who lived nearby at Rydal Mount and was himself a great supporter of the rushbearing custom. The hymn reflects the transition of the festival from a purely practical event to one of spiritual gratitude, thanking the creator for the beauty of the earth and the continuity of the community.
The Role of Gingerbread
A unique and much-loved feature of the Ambleside Rushbearing is the distribution of gingerbread. Following the procession and the service at St. Mary’s Church, every child who participated in the walk is given a piece of traditional gingerbread. This custom is believed to date back to the 19th century as a way to reward the children for their efforts in carrying the heavy bearings through the streets.
The gingerbread used in the festival is distinct from the soft cakes found elsewhere; it is typically a hard, spicy biscuit that is synonymous with the Lake District. This part of the day is often the highlight for the younger participants and reinforces the festival's role as a family-oriented event. It serves as a reminder of the "fairs" that often accompanied the original rushbearings, where vendors would sell sweets, ale, and toys to the crowds who had gathered for the church maintenance.
Historical Connections: Wordsworth and the Lake Poets
The survival of the Ambleside Rushbearing is partly due to the patronage of the Lake Poets in the 19th century. William Wordsworth, in particular, was fascinated by the folk traditions of Westmorland and Cumberland. He viewed rushbearing as a vital expression of the rural character and frequently attended the festival. His presence, along with that of his sister Dorothy and fellow poet Robert Southey, brought national attention to the event.
Wordsworth’s interest helped to "romanticize" the festival at a time when many traditional customs were being abandoned in the face of the Industrial Revolution. By framing the rushbearing as a beautiful and ancient rite, the poets helped ensure that the local gentry and church authorities continued to fund and support the event. This literary connection remains a point of pride for Ambleside, linking the floral procession to the wider cultural history of English Romanticism.
Changes and Continuity in the 20th Century
During the 20th century, the festival faced various challenges, including the disruptions of two World Wars. However, it remained a constant in the Ambleside calendar. After the Second World War, the festival saw a resurgence as part of a wider effort to revive English folk traditions. The designs of the bearings became more diverse, reflecting changes in gardening styles and materials, but the use of the local Juncus effusus (soft rush) remained the core requirement.
The move of the parish church from its original site to the current St. Mary’s Church in the 1850s also influenced the festival's geography. The procession now concludes at the Victorian church, which features a famous mural depicting the rushbearing ceremony. This mural, painted by Gordon Ransom in the 1940s, serves as a permanent visual record of the festival, showing the participants in the clothing of that era and capturing the enduring spirit of the day.
The Modern Festival and Community Identity
Today, the Ambleside Rushbearing is a major civic event that attracts hundreds of spectators. While it remains a religious service at its heart, it has evolved into a broader celebration of Ambleside’s identity. It provides a rare opportunity for the diverse members of the community—from long-standing farming families to newer residents working in the tourism industry—to come together in a shared activity.
Preparation for the festival begins weeks in advance, as families gather rushes from the edges of Lake Windermere or the local fells and spend evenings constructing their frames. The knowledge of how to weave the rushes and secure the flowers is passed down through generations. In an age of digital entertainment and globalized culture, the rushbearing stands as a tactile and local experience that requires manual skill and physical participation. It continues to serve its original purpose of bringing people to the church, not to fix the floor, but to acknowledge their shared history.
Helpful Links
Ambleside Parish Centre - Rushbearing Information The Armitt Museum and Library Visit Cumbria - Rushbearing Traditions
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