> The Watersons > Songs > The Tour of the Dales
The Tour of the Dales / The Song of Upper Wharfedale
[
Roud 3183
; William Foster]
William Foster of Beckermonds wrote The Song of Upper Wharfedale in 1900 for the coronation of Edward VII. The text below is derived in part from a recording made by his nephew Jack Foster in 1971 (printed in English Dance & Song 35:1 (1973) pp.26-27). This recording became the catalyst for an ancestral research project organised by Trevor Sharpe and members of the Buttershaw Youth Centre in Bradford. This resulted in the publication of their book The Song of Upper Wharfedale (City of Bradford Metropolitan Council, 1972), exploring the history, traditions and folklore of the area. The song itself is a virtual Who's Who of Langstrothdale at the dawn of the 20th century.
The Watersons sang a variant of this, The Tour of the Dales, in 1966 on their album on A Yorkshire Garland. Like most of the tracks from this LP, it was re-released in 1994 on the CD Early Days. A.L. Lloyd commented in the original album's sleeve notes, obviously not knowing about William Foster:
A rare masterpiece of song exclusive to the glorious country of Teesdale, Swaledale, Wharfedale, a concise guide and Who's Who of the district, how long ago? And who made the song? Perhaps the village school-teacher, Mr Sims, who makes a sly appearance in the final verse. The Watersons collected this fine memorial of time past from Mick Taylor, a 64-year-old sheepdog trainer from the Wensleydale village of Hawes, in the Pennines.
Mr Taylor's version is very long, and the singers have trimmed it a bit for the record.
Someone with the nickname Imor posted a version of The Song of Wharfedale in the Ilkley More Community Forum for Ilkley & Wharfedale in 2009. It is very similar to what the Watersons sing but has some more verses, possibly those that the Watersons left out of Mr Taylor's version. Imor commented:
I first came across this in Skipton when researching a guide book for that area of the Dales. As pointed out the music etc., is all but forgotten. […] No-one sings the song nowadays at The George Inn, Hubberholme, but they have heard of it. So has Violet Robinson of Hazlewood, though she cannot remember the words or the tune. The Skipton Folk Club are looking into the enigma of its origins and music.
Lyrics
William Foster: The Song of Upper Wharfedale | |
---|---|
Though Langstrothdale Chase cannot boast of being long Foremost and first of High Greenfield I'll tell, Low Greenfield I'll sing with its grand shooting box, Beckermonds comes next, in the valley so low, Let's call at George Beresford's, up at Cowside, Deepdale comes next at the foot of Sty Gill, At Yockenthwaite dwelling with pick and with spade, Raisgill's the next stop just over the green, Grace Pawson is next, she keeps the George Inn, Ben Lofthouse is next, keeps the White Lion Inn, Then back we return you to Oughtershaw Hall, Old Turnbull comes next, and he keeps a small shop, Then Netherghyll's next, and no-one lives there, But Cam Houses is next, high up on the hillside, And Willie Thwaite's next and he lives at his ease, Oh me fadam, ri fadam | |
Ilkley More's The Song of Wharfedale | The Watersons sing The Tour of the Dales |
Now the world has strange places that never was known, | |
Chorus (after each verse): | |
Foremost and first of High Greenfield I'll tell, |
Now the foremost and first is High Greenfield I'll tell; |
Low Greenfield I'll sing with its grand shooting box, | |
Beckermonds comes next in the valley so low, |
Now Beckermonds comes next in the valley so low; |
Let's call at George Beresford's up at Cowside, | |
Deepdale comes next at the foot of Sty Gill, |
Now old Teesdale comes next at the foot o' Sty Gill; |
Turnbull is next and he keeps a good shop, | |
Look how Willie Thwaite can live at his ease | |
Netherghyll comes next, but no one lives there, |
Now Netherghyll comes next but there's no-one lives there; |
Cam Houses are yonder; up the hillside, |
Cam Houses comes next, it's upon yon hillside; |
At Yockenthwaite dwelling, with pick and with spade, | |
Raisgill's the next spot just over the green, |
Now Raisgill comes next, it's just over yon green; |
Grace Pawson's the next, she keeps the George Inn, |
Grace Pawsons comes next and she keeps the George Inn; |
Ben Lofthouse loves Cray and his White Lion Inn, |
Ben Lofthouse loves Cray and the White Lion Inn; |
Now back we return to Oughtershaw Hall, |
So now I'll return you to Oughtershaw Hall, |
Acknowledgements and Links
I got William Foster's verses from Jim Jarrett's page on The Song of Upper Wharfedale.
Steve Willis transcribed The Tour of the Dale from the singing of the Watersons long before I found the Wharfedale originals. I corrected a few misheard places and names to the ones in the original song and stuck to the original names even when Mike Waterson pronounced them differently (e.g. Jeffrey instead of Mike's Jethro, Alick instead of his Ellen).