Arlingham Wassail Song

Recordings  1.  Archive recording – Lem Hayward

Archive Recording – Lem Hayward

2. Contemporary version – Puzzlejug

 Contemporary Version   – Puzzlejug

 Song Manuscripts

 Copy as collected and to sing

This wassail song was originally collected in January 1977 by Gwilym Davies from 76 year-old Lem Hayward of Arlingham.  Subsequently, Mike Yates and Gwilym rerecorded Lem at his home.  The link above is to that later recording as the sound quality is better, but the transcription of the song is based on the first recording.  The custom was kept up until the Second World War in Arlingham, where at about 8 pm on New Year’s Eve, a party some twenty strong would set off from Arlingham and call at Framilode, Saul, and Frampton Court. They carried a six-foot bough decorated with tinsel and cards, and collected money in a tin.