Hatton Woods

Original Track ID

SA1961.44.A7

Original Tape ID

SA1961.044

Summary

In this song, a ploughman named Sandy laments his misfortune in love and relates his story: he courted Molly for a year, and it was in Hatton Woods that she stole his heart. He asked her when they would be married, but she left him soon after. Although she rejected him he bears her no ill will, only hoping that some day she will say she wishes she had married the ploughman who sang so sweetly to her.

Item Notes

5 verses of 4 lines. On tape SA1953.238, Sheila Stewart mentions having learned the lyrics for this song from her brother-in-law (Jimmy Higgins, married to Sheila's sister, Cathie). She put the song to the tune of 'Come A' Ye Tramps and Hawkers'.

Hatton, once a farm, is now a small hamlet of cottages located 1.5km south-east of Luther Water in Marykirk parish. The Caddam Mill and Lowther Mill in the song are the local pronunciations of Caldhame and Luther.

See:
'Tocher' 44 (1992) pp. 122-123
'Bothy Songs & Ballads' (J. Ord, 1930) p. 185
'Come Gie's a Sang' (S. Douglas, 1995) pp. 52-53
'Queen Amang the Heather' (S. Stewart, 2006) pp. 111-112
'Till Doomsday in the Afternoon' (E. MacColl & P. Seeger, 1986) pp. 231-233
National Library of Scotland, Broadside Ballad collection, L.C.Fol.70(32a) (Poets' Box, Dundee, 1880-1900)

Recording Location

Item Location

Language

English

Genre

Song

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R5531

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Fair