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Swarthfell Rocks

Mike, Lal and Norma Waterson sang Swarthfell Rocks in 1975 on theWatersons' album For Pence and Spicy Ale. A live recording from the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal in 1982 was released in 2004 on their 4CD anthology Mighty River of Song.

A.L. Lloyd commented in the original album's sleeve notes:

On the surface this sounds like a local Ullswater song. Frank Kidson heard a lady sing it at a Windermere festival, and he contributed it to the Folk Song Journal (No. 9) where the Watersons found it. In fact, like many hunting songs, it has turned up in other places with other place-names. Sharp and Baring-Gould found three or four sets of it in Somerset and Devon. They called it The Duke's Hunt, with some reason, for the song has grown out of an earlier ballad, printed about 1660, concerning a pack of hounds owned by the repulsive George Villiers, second Duke of Buckingham (containing the Dido, Bendigo chorus that turns up in several hunting songs). Watersons have craftily brought the Duke's name into their version, though it wasn't there when the Windermere lady sang it.

Lyrics

The Watersons sing Swarthfell Rocks

It were early one morning when I rose from me bed
I've heard hark, hark away me boys so clearly
|𝄆And so I drew me a little nearer, for to see who was there
That were going out fox hunting so early𝄇|

There were nine gentlemen and the Duke of Buckingham
And they each of them set out upon the trial
|𝄆To see the hounds run in the north, where they have great fame and worth
And the most of them set out with no denial𝄇|

It were at Swarthfell Rocks, where we laid on our hounds
Not thinking a fox there being likely
|𝄆Now an huntsman long I've been but the likes I've never seen
We unkenneled bold Reynard so early𝄇|

Henry Wilkinson cried “Hark, hark away me boys”
Joe Clark, our foot-sportsman, soon heard him
|𝄆Richard Mounds he cried “Oddzounds, you mun' couple up your hounds
For this day you never will come near him”𝄇|

They come through our town moor, being late in the hour
It were sometimes one hound and sometimes t'other
|𝄆It were hard to be expressed which of them ran him the best
For they each ran abreast close together𝄇|

There were Tippler and Towler and Fair Maid and Drolider
There were Countess and Blossom and Fury
|𝄆There were several other hounds ran close within his bounds
But these were the hounds that ran near him𝄇|

They come through Hallen Hag, their course being strong
I'm sure there was little ease in it
|𝄆But our hounds they ran him well and they turned him in again
And he took Sharrow Woods for his cover𝄇|

Then Reynard being weary and seeking for shelter
His way was to take the straight over
|𝄆But our hounds they ran amain and they laid him in again
And there they destroyed him for ever𝄇|

Oh Lilter followed him, and never more was seen
Which caused our great sportsmen to murmer
That a finer little hound never ran above the ground
He was the bonniest little hound in the number
Aye a finer little hound never ran above the ground
He was the bonniest little hound in the number

So now to conclude, and to finish me song
This gallant fox hunt it is all over
|𝄆It's the forty-second fox that's been slain on Swarthfell Rocks
So that puts an end to me story𝄇|

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Garry Gillard (but he said he must have had some help from someone - perhaps Steve Willis).