Nothing much is known of the origin of the dance apart from the usual connection with the Rushcart procession and the Wakes. The dance is highly developed and is closer in character to Oldham/Royton than to the Millbrook/Godley Hill style. The dance continued to be performed, on and off until the 1930's. In 1938 Maud Karpeles took notes of this dance, as well as others in the region for the English Folk Dance Society. It does not seem to have survived the upheaval of World War 2.