12 April 2026
Thaxted Guildhall
Jo Breeze, EATMT team

The East Anglian Traditional Music Trust is incredibly proud of the work we’ve done and are doing across Norfolk and Suffolk, but we know that East Anglian traditions reach further than just those two counties.

So we were very pleased to run an event in Thaxted’s beautiful Guildhall in north Essex. Thaxted has a wealth of thriving music and dance traditions of its own – and we’re especially grateful to the local musicians and dancers who made it such a special day.

In the morning, we ran activities specifically targeted at families, which meant we saw children trying out mini melodeons for the first time (and it’s a testament to Thaxted Morris Men’s presence in the town that more than one parent was overheard saying “you could be a morris musician when you’re older!”), exploring a real dulcimer, playing with jig dolls, and cutting and sticking their own Green Man depictions. We even got a set of six trying their first morris steps outside – thanks to Thaxted Morris Men representatives Tom Bassett, Harry Anderson, and Ian Pease. Attendees also explored an exhibition upstairs of local music and dance history and how those traditions are being carried forward into the future, courtesy of local historian Mike Goatcher.

In the afternoon, we were joined by stepdancers including Angela Watson, Sue Beecroft, Eamonn Andrews, and Tony Hodkin on fiddle, who gave regular demonstrations outside (and helped a few brand-new stepdancers have a go). We ran a busy jig doll session upstairs – an opportunity to use jig dolls with live music – welcoming attendees who’d brought their own as well as opening the big box of EATMT jig dolls for people to try out. That led beautifully into a tune session which filled the Guildhall with music for the afternoon, while a few other attendees tried out lantern-making downstairs. And as the Trust team packed up at the Guildhall, the musicians moved on to the Swan Hotel up the road, who welcomed them for another round of tunes and songs.

For those who attended: thanks also for your feedback (particularly your feedback forms, which help us make the case for how important free community events like this are!), your tea and coffee purchases, and your wonderful music-making. What a great way to spend a sunny Sunday – and an especial thank you to the welcoming team at the Guildhall, including Rob Evans, who made it possible for us to use such a historic building.