The Ditchling Carol facts for kids
The Ditchling Carol is a popular Christmas carol. It's also known as Roud song #3216, which means it's listed in a big collection of traditional folk songs. The words for this carol were written by a person named William Robert Spencer.
What is the Ditchling Carol?
This carol might sound very old, but it's not as ancient as you might think! According to a music expert named Vic Gammon, the music for the carol was likely created by Peter Parsons. He was a shoemaker and musician from a village called Ditchling near Brighton. Peter Parsons passed away in 1901.
Music in Ditchling
Ditchling was a special place for musicians, especially those who played in the old church bands. These bands were groups of people who played music in churches before organs were common. The local choir in Ditchling was very popular. They used to go on many carol tours before Christmas, singing in different places.
However, some church reformers, who wanted to change church practices, didn't like the choir taking their music to other towns. They thought it wasn't proper.
How the Carol Came Together
The words for the Ditchling Carol were written by William Robert Spencer and were first published in 1811. The music was composed by Peter Preston (who might be the same person as Peter Parsons).
The carol as we know it today was put together by Vic Gammon. He gathered different versions of the song from old handwritten music books found in the Sussex area. When groups like the New Scorpion Band perform it, they often play it as a 'west gallery' piece. This means they play it in a style that was common in the "west gallery" of churches, where musicians often sat and played.
