February 2021 Lambton's Worm

 Lambton's Worm

4th February

I come from Newcastle originally, and still visit the magical Northumbrian coast each summer. Being very involved in folk music therefore, it was inevitable that I would become interested in the Northumbrian Smallpipes. My set was made by David Burleigh, now retired but until recently a prolific pipe maker. If you asked him how long it took him to make a set of pipes he would always say, 'well, there are two answers to that, a week, and nine years' What he meant was that he turned out a set of pipes once a week, but each set was nine years in the making due mainly to the need to season the wood at each stage of the process.

The tune I played was meant to be 'Brafferton Village' but it morphed into another tune called 'Crawley Dene' without my permission. Brafferton Village was written by Kathyrn Tickell, something of a phenomenon on the instrument. If you want to hear her playing the tune, go to Brafferton Village/Walsh's Hornpipe - YouTube

I've made the journey from my home in Worcestershire to Newcastle and Northumberland more times than I can count, and it's always good to see the giant statue of the 'Angel of the North' standing just tot he right of the A1, and knowing at that point that I'm nearly home. About 15 / 20 minutes before that however, looking eastwards to the right of the road across the flat coastal plain, you can see another monument on top of a hill. That hill is Penshaw Hill, and the monument reminds us of the story of Lambton's Worm, and the last time that a Knight of the Realm fought and killed a real, live dragon!

There are many suggestions about what really happened. One is that a band of 'Border Reivers' came down from Scotland stealing cattle and sheep. The Lord of the Manor Sir John Lambton had licence to maintain a small armed force and, pre-warned, he ambushed them. The Reivers made a circle around Penshaw Hill (or more likely the smaller 'Worm Hill' which is nearby to fight off the ambush. As more of the Reivers were killed, they moved gradually up the hill until the last few were killed or captured at the top. The legend claims that the Dragon was so large that it was able to 'wrap itself three times round Penshaw Hill'.

Another explanation is that Penshaw Village and the surrounding area was terrorised by a Dragon and young Sir John Lambton was called back from foreign wars to kill it.

You pays your money and you takes your choice!

The song I sung was written for a pantomime at Balmbra's Music Hall in Newcastle and I've copied the words I use below.

Lambton’s Worm

 

Chorus                                                                                                    Interpretation.

Whist, lads, haad yer gobs                                     Hush, chaps, hold your tongues

An’ aa’l tell yez aal an aaful story                          And I’ll tell you all an awful story

Whist, lads, haad yer gobs                                     Hush, chaps, hold your tongues

an aa’l tell yez aboot the warm.                             And I’ll tell you about the worm

 

Now Lambton went a fishing once, went fishing in the Wier

He caught a fish upon his hook. he thought it very queer

But whatten kind of fish this was young Lambton couldn’t tell

But he was not fit to carry it home, so he hoyed it down a well

 

Chorus

 

Now Lambton had a mind to go and fight in foreign wars

He joined a troup of Knights that cared for neither wounds nor scars

And when in Palestine that he was where queer things him befell

It was there that he forgot all about that funny work down the well

 

Chorus

 

But this worm it growed, and growed and growed, and growed to an awful size.

With great big mouth and great big teeth and great big goggly eyes

And when it crawled about at night gathering in the news,

Well if it felt thirsty the road, it’d milk a dozen cows

 

Chorus

 

This awful beast would oft-times feed on ducks and cows and sheep

And swallow little bairns alive as they lay down to sleep.

And when it’d eaten all it could and it had had its’ fill

It’d crawl away and wrap its’ tail ten times round Penshaw Hill

 

Chorus

 

Now news of this most awful beast, and all its’ queer goings on

Soon crossed the sea and came to the ears of brave and bold Sir John

So home he came and catched the beast and cut it in three halves

And that soon stopped it eating sheep and ducks and bairns and calves

 

Chorus

 

So now you know how all the folks on both sides of the Weir

Lost lots of sheep and lots of sleep, and lived in mortal fear

So let’s have one for brave Sir John, what kept the bairns from harm

Saved cows and calves by making halves of the famous Lambton’s Worm

 

Chorus

 

(and then, to the tune of the chorus)

So now me Lads I’ve had me gob                                     so now, chaps, I’ve had my say

That’s aal aa knaa aboot the story                                    that’s all I know about the story

Of brave John’s clivor job                                                   of brave John’s clever job

With the famous Lambton’s warm                                     with the famous Lambton’s worm.