> Eliza Carthy & Nancy Kerr > Songs > Whittingham Fair / For Whittingham Fair

Whittingham Fair / For Whittingham Fair

[ Roud 12 ; Child 2 ; Ballad Index C002 ; esp. 2H, 2J, 2M; trad.]

Nancy Kerr sang Whittingham Fair in 1993 on her and Eliza Carthy's eponymous album Eliza Carthy & Nancy Kerr and on their compilation CD On Reflection. Nancy commented in the Eliza Carthy & Nancy Kerr sleeve notes:

Whittingham Fair is from Folk Songs of the North Countrie by Frank Kidson and Alfred Moffat, under the title Scarborough Fair. The “Northumbrianised” version is from my mother and the tune can be found in Kidson's Traditional Tunes.

and Eliza added:

[The tune] For Whittingham Fair was a flash of inspiration while I was learning the song in my bedroom. Original title, isn't it?

Compare to this Martin Carthy's versions of Scarborough Fair on e.g. the albums Martin Carthy and Wood Wilson Carthy.

Lyrics

Nancy Kerr sings Whittingham Fair	Martin Carthy sings Scarborough Fair
Are you going to Whittingham* Fair? Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Remember me to one who lives there She once was a true lover of mine	Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme Remember me to one who lives there For once she was a true love of mine
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Without any stitches or needlework Then she'll be a true lover of mine	Tell her to make me a cambric shirt Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme Without no seam nor needlework And then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to wash it in yonder dry well Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Where water ne'er sprung nor a drop of rain fell Then she'll be a true lover of mine
Tell her to hang it on yonder thorn Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme That never bore blossom since Adam was born Then she'll be a true lover of mine
Now he has asked me questions three Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme I hope that he'll answer as many for me Then he'll be a true lover of mine
Tell him to find me an acre of land Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Betwixt the salt water and the sea sand Then he'll be a true lover of mine	Tell her to find me an acre of land Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme Between the salt water and the sea strand And then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell him to plough it with a ram's horn Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme And sow it all over with one peppercorn Then he'll be a true lover of mine	Tell her to plough it with a lamb's horn Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme And to sow it all o'er with one peppercorn And then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell him to reap it with a sickle of leather Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme And tie it all up with a peacock's feather Then he'll be a true lover of mine	Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme And to thrash it all out with a bunch of heather And then she'll be a true love of mine
When he has done and finished his work Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Well, tell him to come and tear up his shirt And he'll be a true lover of mine
	Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme Remember me to one who lives there For once she was a true love of mine

Nancy Kerr quite clearly sings “Whittingt-ham” - however spelt - with a “T” sound - not “Whittingham”.

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Garry Gillard with corrections from Kira White. Thanks to both of you!