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The Witch of the Westmorlands

[Archie Fisher]

Archie Fisher sang his own ballad The Witch of the West-Mer-Lands in 1976 on his Folk-Legacy album The Man With a Rhyme. He commented in his liner notes:

I have borrowed, for this song, the form of the narrative ballad. The ingredients are a mixture of legend, superstition, and ballad themes brought into focus by the Lakeland painter, Joni Turner. As far as I know, the female centaur is not a creature of mythology, and this role of witch disguise was suggested by the tales of antlered women with bodies of deer seen wading in the shallows of the lakes in the moonlight. There are many pleasant and hospitable inns in the Lake District.

Barbara Dickson sang Witch of the Westmorlands in 1971 on her album From the Beggar's Mantle. Archie Fisher played guitar and concertina on this album, too.

Stan Rogers sang The Witch of the Westmorland in April 1979 live at The Groaning Board, Toronto. This concert was released in the same year on his album Between the Breaks… Live!. He commented in the liner notes:

I first heard this song on Archie Fisher' beautiful album for Folk-Legacy Records, The Man With a Rhyme, where it is called The Witch of the West-Mer-Lands. In a recent letter, Archie referred to it as simply “Westmoreland”, and I've used that spelling here. We have edited three verses from the original, and modernised the language a little for the sake of having the story understood by the average North American listener at the first pass. I highly recommend Archie's version to those of you who want all the verses.

Grace Notes (Maggie Boyle, Lynda Hardcastle and Helen Hockenhull) sang Witch of the Westmorlands in 1998 on their Fellside CD Red Wine & Promises. Helen Hockenhull commented in the liner notes:

We first heard this song on a Stan Rogers album and learned his version. Later we discovered that it was written by Archie Fisher whose original words were rather different. As the words were difficult enough to learn in the first place we found it impossible to change them (Sorry Archie). The story remains intact however and it is a wonderful epic.

Kate Rusby sang Witch of the Westmorland in 2016 on her CD Life in a Paperboat.

You Are Wolf sang Witch of the Westmerlands on her 2018 album Keld. She noted:

A wonderful narrative folk ballad by Archie Fisher, released in 1976 on his album The Man With a Rhyme. Archie says:

The original myth about female centaurs in Windermere first came to my attention when I saw a painting by the Lake District artist Joni Crosby. Apparently deer used to swim across the shallow end of Lake Windermere and weeds got caught in their antlers and observers, probably wandering home from a local hostelry, took them to be these mythical creatures.

Archie made a sequel called The Return and is working on a prequel for a recording project that will become a trilogy on the Witch theme.

Lyrics

Archie Fisher sings The Witch of the West-Mer-Lands	Grace Notes sings Witch of the Westmorlands
Pale was the wounded knight That bore the rowan shield, And cruel were the raven's cries That feasted on the field,	Pale was the wounded knight That bore the rowan shield, Loud and cruel were the raven's cries As they feasted on the field,
Saying, “Beck water, cold and clear, Will never clean your wound. There's none but the Maid of the Winding Mere Can mak' thee hale and soond.”	Singing, “Beck water, cold and clear, Will never heal your wound. There's none but the Witch of the Westmorland Can make thee hale and sound.”
“So course well, my brindled hounds, And fetch me the mountain hare Whose coat is as gray as the Wastwater Or as white as the lily fair.”
Who said, “Green moss and heather bands Will never staunch the flood. There's none but the Witch of the West-mer-lands Can save thy dear life's blood.”
“So turn, turn your stallion's head Till his red mane flies in the wind, And the rider o' the moon goes by And the bright star falls behind.”	“Turn, turn your stallion's head Till his red mane flies in the wind, And the rider of the moon goes by And the bright star falls behind.”
And clear was the paley moon When his shadow passed him by; Below the hill was the brightest star When he heard the houlet cry,	Clear was the waning moon When a shadow passed him by; Below the hill were the brightest stars When he heard the owlet cry.
Saying, “Why do you ride this way And wharfore cam' you here?” “I seek the Witch of the West-mer-lands That dwells by the Winding mere.”	Singing, “Why do you ride this way And wherefore came you here?” “I seek the Witch of the Westmorland Who dwells by the Winding mere.”
“Then fly free your good grey hawk To gather the goldenrod, And face your horse intae the clouds Above yon gay green wood.”
And it's weary by the Ullswater And the misty brake fern way Till through the cleft o' the Kirkstane Pass The winding water lay.	And it's weary by the Ullswater And the misty brake fern way Till through the cut of the Kirkstane Pass The winding water lay.
He said, “Lie down, my brindled hounds, And rest, my good grey hawk, And thee, my steed, may graze thy fill For I must dismount and walk.	He said, “Lie down you brindled hound And rest ye, my good grey hawk, And thee, my steed, may graze thy fill For I must dismount and walk.
“But come when you hear my horn And answer swift the call, For I fear ere the sun will rise this morn You may serve me best of all.”	”Come when you hear my horn And answer swift the call, For I fear ere the sun will rise this morn Ye will serve me best of all.”
And it's down to the water's brim He's borne the rowan shield, And the goldenrod he has cast in To see what the lake might yield.	And it's down to the water's brim He's borne the rowan shield, And the goldenrod he has cast in To see what the lake might yield.
And wet rose she from the lake And fast and fleet gaed she, One half the form of a maiden fair With a jet-black mare's body.	Wet rose she from the lake And fast and fleet went she, One half the form of a maiden fair With a jet-black mare's body.
And loud, long and shrill he blew, Till his steed was by his side; High overhead his grey hawk flew And swiftly he did ride,	Loud, long and shrill he blew, Till his steed was by his side; High overhead the grey hawk flew And swiftly he did ride.
Saying, “Course well, my brindled hounds, And fetch me the jet-black mare! Stoop and strike, my good grey hawk, And bring me the maiden fair!”	“Course well, my brindled hound, Fetch me the jet-black mare! Stoop and strike, my good grey hawk, And bring me the maiden fair!”
She said, “Pray sheath thy silvery sword, Lay down thy rowan shield. For I see by the briny blood that flows You've been wounded in the field.”	She said, “Pray sheath thy silvery sword, Lay down thy rowan shield. For I see by the briny blood that flows You've been wounded in the field.”
And she stood in a gown of the velvet blue, Bound 'round with a silver chain, She's kissed his pale lips aince and twice And three times 'round again.	She stood in a gown of velvet blue, Bound 'round with a silver chain, And she's kissed his pale lips once and twice And three times 'round again.
She's bound his wounds with the goldenrod, Full fast in her arms he lay, And he has risen, hale and sound, With the sun high in the day.	And she's bound his wounds with the goldenrod, Full fast in her arms he lay, And he has risen, hale and sound, With the sun high in the day.
She said, “Ride with your brindled hound at heel And your good grey hawk in hand. There's nane can harm the knight who's lain With the Witch of the West-mer-land.”	“Ride with your brindled hound at heel And your good grey hawk in hand. And there's none can harm the knight who's lain With the Witch of the Westmorland.”
	She said, “Ride with your brindled hound at heel And your good grey hawk in your hand. And there's none can harm the knight who's lain With the Witch of the Westmorland.”