Newton’s Double
The 25th Track 2
This is from the repertoire of singer, morris dancer, and all-round village character William “Binx” Walton, of Adderbury in North Oxfordshire. Walton was 80 years old in 1916 when he sang this, and a number of other West Gallery era carols to local song collector Janet Blunt. Having been a singer all his life, he had at some time sung all of the harmony lines, and was still able to remember them all. Because of the fuguing nature of the melody Miss Blunt had trouble piecing the parts together correctly. Fortunately Dave Townsend managed to do it, and included this arrangement in his book Oxfordshire Carols. Ian and Andy first sang the carol with Dave’s West Gallery choir, the Christminster Singers.
You can hear a live recording of this carol at A Folk Song A Week Week 122 – Hymn for Christmas Day / Sellwood Mollineux’ Carol / Newton’s Double