Subscribe to our Newsletter

Willie and Nancy

Back to browse page

Alternative title: William and Nancy

Source: C. Sharp ms no. 2399 in Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
Place Collected: Stow-on-the-Wold
Date collected: 13 September 1909
Collector: Sharp, Cecil

Charles Benfield was the main informant for the Bledington tunes, most of which were noted by Cecil Sharp at Benfield’s house at Bould (Oxon), a hamlet about a  mile from Bledington (Glos). William and Nancy was also collected by George Butterworth, who is our only source for Trunkles and Ladies of Pleasure.
CJ Sharp wrote, 2 September 1909
“Ch. Benfield was fiddler to the Bledington Morris till it lapsed about 15-20 years ago. He afterwards taught some younger men but could not induce them to continue. He is an agricultural labourer and a keen morris dancer. His fiddle was bridge-less and bow-less so he half hummed and half whistled this & following 2 tunes.”