I went Carol Singing last night. Not unusual at this time of year you might think, but those who know my dislike of carol services especially when it is still a week before Christmas will be slightly confused. Even more so when you realise that a group of us travelled to Eyam in Derbyshire to sing carols we had never heard before. When we set out we weren't sure what we were going to. Some of had hankered after joining in with the Sheffield Carols - a tradition of singing local versions of Christmas carols around the pubs of North Sheffield and North Derbyshire, others came/were dragged along for the ride and so based on little more than a list from folk-network we set out. 

On arrival and walking around the village with the carollers we discovered that this is a group of people who began meeting some twelve years ago to preserve carols that had been preserved by a small group of people in Eyam, many written by a former Eyam resident names Richard Furness. They had met the week before in the warm of the Mechanics Institute to learn the carols and now they were going out in the drizzle to sing them around the village - we listened, looked over shoulders at the music and joined in. Some of the carols had familiar words "Whilst Shepherd Watched" of course and "Hark the Herald" (known as Curly Hark) others were unfamiliar in words and music. Some residents came out to listen or join in, but to most we passed by disregarded ...

We have returned with some soggy words and bits of music, and perhaps some Eyam Carols will be sung in Whitworth this Christmas and beyond. Perhaps we also need to think about how to preserve some Whitworth tunes that are being rapidly forgotten. But most of all if you like a good sing, want to see local traditions preserved and are within striking range of North Sheffield/North Derbyshire - why not venture out to one of the pubs on the list above and join in the fun.

I couldn't find any video of Eyam Carols so enjoy this offering from Grenoside featuring some of the folk we were singing with last night.