Rochester Sweep's Festival, Sunday 4th May

Seven EFOG members met at London Bridge Station to catch the 09.47 to Rochester. London Bridge Station is itself a complication, so those of us in the know got there early. Travel on a Bank Holiday is also a complication. We found that the rail-replacement bus to Rochester from Strood was un-necessary; we could just as well have walked over the Medway (by way of a bridge), which we did on the way back. The other complication – avoidable to some extent if you can get together on this – is that some of us paid about £9 for the return journey, others £17!

The SweepsHowever, to the event. The annual Rochester Sweep's Festival is a modern-day revival of the fun that working-class people had on one of their few days off in the year, and at one of the best times of the year, the 1st of May. Things happen on May Day, including the arrival of Summer (whatever the weather), 'Obby 'Osses and Green Men. In Rochester it tends to be black-faced men – and women – but there is a Jack-in-the-Green paraded through the streets on the Monday.

The main street of Rochester was crowded with people strolling and watching no-end of dancers and musicians. Bacca PipesMany of the dancers of course were dancing in Morris styles, but these included stick-dances, bacca-pipe dances, clog dances and styles which I don't know the names of. One group of young girls with their hair all done-up the same one-sided way danced Irish-style to drums, which was a new one on me. A Morris side – with male musicians and female dancers - were from Basildon, so when they'd finished I said to them how nice it was to see Essex Girls dancing properly.

Nearer the castle, the music-noise increased with sound-amplified performers and a crush round the ale-houses. The cathedral was a welcome relief for all of us, I think, and we wandered round looking (as one does) at some of the holy stuff. There were plenty of Green-men effigies in there if you knew where to look to satisfy my take, but the west wall added a tinge of sadness to an otherwise joyous day: it is covered with the names of people killed in the First World War.

Tea on the lawnWe had lunch in the church gardens, some of us glorying in the sunshine by sitting or laying on the grass in the cathedral gardens, and others – peculiarly – sitting in the shade of a tree.

Following lunch, and perhaps feeling a bit Morrised-out, we had a go in the fun fair. At least, Louise, Lynne and I did, on the big-wheel. The noise around there was a bit too much, though, so we made for a quieter part of the High Street where a loan musician was singing sad songs in Welsh. We were just about to move away when he began a even sadder one in Gaelic, which I recognised as a favourite. If you've seen the spectacles advertisement in which the shepherd shears his collie, you will know the tune.

A stroll across the Medway (by way of the bridge) a pause to look back at Rochester castle and Cathedral, and then back to Strood station to return to London Bridge.

Paul Ferris    6th May 2014