Mumming

The first Mummers play that Hartley became aware of came from the village of Firle in Sussex.  It was discovered in 1969 by Alan Skull, a friend of an early member of the side, Bob Tatman.

Hartley performed the Firle Play for the first time on Boxing Day 1970 and have continued to do so on every (when allowed!) Boxing Day since.  

The two performances on Boxing Day are always:

12.00 The Black Horse, Stansted, TN15 7PR

13.15 Rose & Crown, Wrotham, TN15 7AE
 

More information about the play is available at Sussex Archaeology & Folklore
 

The Firle Play is also performed on other occasions and is usually combined with dancing.

For a General history of mumming and other traditional folk plays see  http://www.folkplay.info

The Darent Valley Champions perform the traditional Mumming Plays collected in the Darent Valley area of North Kent.

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The Champions were formed by the Hartley Morris Men in 1973 to perform the Darent Valley plays in their home village.