The Reedwater Minstrel

This last couple of years has seen me doing some exploring and more detailed archaeology in Redesdale. It is beautiful, wild Northumberland countryside with a wealth of wildlife, history and tradition. I have had the honour to work alongside local  people and other like-minded folk from Tynedale Archaeology Group as a volunteer on the National Lottery funded Revitalising Redesdale project.

Redesdale from moorland west of Rattenraw. A Curtis (2018).

Another computer-based project is now drawing to a conclusion, that of transcribing the Northumberland Ordnance Survey Name Books of the 1860's first survey, a project led by Professor Diana Whalley. The last parish to be transcribed was Elsdon (including Rochester, Otterburn and a few parts of other parishes, before boundary changes) with about 800 interesting and often informative place-names. Involvement with this project has led me to this post.

Given as an authority to the spelling of one of the place-names in the parish was a reference to  'The Lay of the Reedwater Minstrel'. It is a poem by Robert Roxby, and reading it makes you aware that not only was he too facinated by the place-names of the area but also appeared to know them intimately as places, along with a few of the local inhabitants.

“He’ll sing Reedwater’s muirlands wild,
Where whirring heath-cocks flee,
Where limpid wells and heather bells
Delight the sportsman’s e’e.”

This quotation is used on page 13 of the Revitalising Redesdale: Landscape Conservation Action Plan (LCAP-Part 1) published in July 2017.

The full title of the work is: "The Lay of the Reedwater Minstrel. Illustrated, with Notes, Historical and Explanatory, Addressed to Matthew Forster of Broomyholme, Esq. By a Son of Reed" Newcastle: D. Akenhead & Sons, 1809.

The use of the word 'Lay' confused me for a while. I thought it refered to the death of the minstrel, as in 'laid out', but the true definition is a noun of literary use, out of common parlance today, referring to a form of poetry:
"a short lyric or narrative poem meant to be sung" as in "a minstrel recited a series of lays".

On the title-page is a engraving by Thomas Bewick, representing the bard, Roxby, and three of his friends in the enjoyment of a social evening under the broad rafters of a farmhouse. One of the party is contributing music from the Northumberland pipes. When this edition had long been out of print, in 1832, a second issue, uniform with the publications of the Newcastle Typographical Society, was printed by T. & J. Hodgson, with the Bewick cut reproduced, and the author's name appended. Courtesy of Google Books you can read it online here.

Robert Roxby & friends. Illustration by Thomas Bewick (1809).

The Lay of the Reedwater Minstrel is a long work (116 verses), in three parts, and I can only give a short flavour of it here. If you know the places, or just their names (in red below), and have a love of the scenery and dialect (rhyming shows you the pronounciation) you can appreciate this even today.

The opening verses introduces the narrative; an escape from life in the town to adventures hunting, shooting and fishing. Broomyholme, the residence of Matthew Forster, is near Chester-le-Street. This is followed by a description of socialising with good friends to which event he will bring a minstrel from Woolaw, a farm in Redesdale. Memories then flow with the wine, music and rhyme.

Now, ponder well, my Friend most dear,
These lines which I do write,
If roads are good and weather clear,
I'll come on Monday night.
 
Once more I'll visit Broomyholme,
And eke the man and wife,
Once more I'll view the social dome,
And add a charm to life.
 
On Tuesday morn, with spirits gay,
Far from the noisy town,
My skill in shooting I'll display,
And bring the partridge down.

Image from page 318 of 'A Collection of Right Merrie Garlands for North Country Anglers' by Joseph Crawhall (1863). Digitised by British Library.

Through stubbles rough, once more I'll range,
With pointers staunch and true,
My sedentary life I'll change,
And sporting joys renew.
 
O'er hill, o'er dale, o'er field I’ll roam
The feather'd tribe to slay,
And when I'm tir'd, to Broomyholme
I'll wend my weary way.
 
There I'll refresh my feebled frame,
And swill the flowing bowl,
We'll cherish friendship's sacred flame,
And elevate the soul.
 
We'll tell the feats of former days,
Dear shooting's joys we'll tell,
Of many a range o'er benty braes,
Moss, moor, and dreary dell.
 
When many a cock of sable hue,
Snipe, whaupa, and gor-cock fell,
When many a bottle lighter grew,
At Padan's crystal well.
 
And I will bring a minstrel sweet,
A son of fam’d Woollaw,
And with his strains he shall you greet,
And loud his pipes shall blaw.

The poem has many historical references including the Battle of Otterburn and several skirmishes in times of the Border Reivers. As expained in the notes, "the particulars of the traditional story of Parcy Reed of Troughend, and the Halls of Girsonsfield, the Author had from a descendant of the family of Reed."

In common with other Border ballads, there is of course a strong romantic undercurrent.

Rooken [today a ruin close to Wind Burn on the forest-edge south-west of Rochester]: "Formerly inhabited by Mr. John Marshall, the laird of the Rooken, famous for his hospitality"

Elishaw [close to the bridge across the Rede where the A68 joins the A697]:  "A place of note in the vale of Reed, famous for being the scene of many a merry meeting, and night of revelry. Here was the rendezvous of the 'vagrant train' of faas, tinklers, &c. The celebrated Wull Allan frequently sojourned here, in the progress of his fishing and otter-hunting expeditions; and here often resounded the drones of his no less celebrated son, Jamie Allan, the Northumberland piper. At Elishaw were held rustic races for the hat or saddle, and, to sum up all, at Elishaw will long be recorded the fame of its hospitable and noble resident, the late Lord Cranstoun, of convivial memory. But, alas! these days are gone, and the grandeur of Elishaw is no more. 'Sic transit gloria mundi'."

Something of the life of James Allan (1734–1810), 'Northumbrian piper and rogue', and his father, William Allan ('Wull Faa' or 'old Wull'), with much information on the national and international gypsy race, can be read here.

James Allen from 'A New, Improved, and Authentic Life of James Allan' by James Thompson (1828).

A stalwart tinkler wight was he,
An' weel cou'd mend a pot or pan,
An’ deftly Wull cou'd thraw a flee,
An' neatly weave the willow wan';
 
An’ sweetly wild were Allan's strains,
An' mony a jig an’ reel he blew,
Wi' merry lilts he charm'd the swains--
Wi’ barbed spear the otter slew;
 
Nae mair he’ll scan wi' anxious eye
The sandy shores of winding Reed,
Nae mair he’ll tempt the finny fry,
The king o' tinklers, Allan's dead!

Image from page 73 of 'A Collection of Right Merrie Garlands for North Country Anglers' by Joseph Crawhall (1863). Digitised by British Library.

Nae mair at mell or merry night,
The cheering bagpipes Wull shall blaw,
Nae mair the village throng delight,
Grim death has laid the Minstrel law!
 
Now trouts exulting cut the wave,
Triumphant see the otter glide;
Their deadly foe lies in the grave,
Charley and Phoebe by his side!

It is the long run of place-names in Parts 1 and 2 that I like best. Many of these references too are explained in the extensive series of notes at the end of the poem. The Ordnance Surveyors had used several of them without mention to their source, e.g. the Swine Hole (a pond on haugh-land near Otterburn Mill), "famed for ruthless pikes".

And he shall sing of Chevy Chace,
Camp-hill, and Battle-cross
Of Elsdon fair, and Billsmoor-race,
Witch-holes, and Broken-moss;

Camp Hill. An Iron Age hillfort east of Otterburn. © Copyright Richard Webb (2018).

Deer in Billsmoor Park. © Copyright Peter McDermott (2008).

Of Ellis-craig and Lumsden-law,
And Chattlehope's rushing Spout,
Of Goldburn o’ the Haining Ha’,
And many a hunting bout.

Chattlehope Spout: A dramatic cataract on Chattlehope Burn. © Copyright Pete Saunders (2009).

The Haining: a derelict C17th farmstead near Elsdon. © Copyright Pete Saunders (2009).

Nor shall he pass the Seven Sykes,
The Hawk-gill and the Howks,
The Swine-hole fam'd for “ruthless pikes”
And Davy-shiel for gowks.

Hawk Burn. View looking across Hawk Burn from near Harry's Pike in Redesdale Forest. © Copyright Peter McDermott (2008).

Black Bleakhope shall not be forgot,
Tho' dismal it may seem,
Nor Marian and her lonely cot,
Her luscious milk and cream.

Burdhopecrag. © Copyright Russel Wills (2018).

Of Rooken house in former days
The Bard wi' glee shall tell,
And Birdhope-craig shall share his praise,
And Blackburn's crystal well.

The Girdlestane, and Padan-pike,
"Bepatch'd wi' winter snaw,"
The Durtree-burn, the lang white dyke,
Brown-rig and Blakeman’s-law;

The Girdle Stone: High above Catcleugh on Girdle Fell. © Copyright Pete Saunders (2009).

Padon Hill Monument. © Copyright Walter Baxter (2011).

The Spithope-head, where wintry winds
Blaw often loud and strong,
And where the keen tempestuous blast
“Careering sweeps along;”

Spithopehead. © Copyright Peter McDermott (2008).

The birchen bowers of Eavistone,
Where mellow ouzels sing,
Where cooing cushats make their moan,
And whirring black-cocks spring;
 
The Howstane-mouth and Dow-craig top
Where erst the Fairy train,
Wou'd dance each night by the pale moon's light,
And scare the passing swain;

Wind Burn near Evistones. © Copyright Quentin Groom (2008).

The dreary Darden's misty moor
Rude rocks and "murky tarn,"
The cliffy cove, the craggy Doure,
Nun-moss, and lone Hare-cairn;

Darden Pike & Darden Lough. © Copyright Pete Saunders (2009).

The valley of Cottonshope Burn below Great Dour. © Copyright Mike Quinn (2013).

The verdant Moat-hill's ancient mound,
High-linn and Hunter-lee,
Saint Mary's well, and Monkridge fell,
Shall aid the Minstrelsy.

Elsdon motte from the bailey. © Copyright Andrew Curtis (2011).

He'll sing of Raylees' woody vale,
Where ripling streamlets flow,
Where eglantines and lilies pale
And rathe primroses grow;
 
Where waving birks and hazels brown
O'erhang the flow'ry brae,
Where throstles hail the blushing morn,
Wi' many a tuneful lay.

Monkridge near Raylees Burn. © Copyright Iain Thompson (2006).

And he shall sing of Risingham
Lisles-burne, and Stiddell-hill,
Of Darnaw-craggs, and Hareshaw-haggs,
Dyke-nook, and Birky-gill;

River Rede at Risingham. © Copyright Russel Wills (2018).

Of Penman's-loup and Chesterhope,
Dunn’s houses and Dyke-heid,
Babswood, Bellshiel, and Branshaw-peel,
And a' the peels o' Reed.

Whiskershiel near Penman's Leap. © Copyright Andrew Curtis (2011).

Raw Bastle: one of the peels o' Reed. © Copyright Mike Searle (2013).

So, who was Robert Roxby? A brief biography is provided by Wikipedia, summed up by the sentence:

Robert Roxby (1767 – 30 July 1846) was an English clerk by profession, and angler, songwriter and poet by inclination.

Robert Roxby in Men of Mark 'twixt Tyne and Tweed Vol. 3 (1895).

Robert Roxby in Northumbrian Story and Song by Robert Spence Watson (1898).

He was born in 1767 at Needless Hall, a farm about 1 mile east of Hartburn, and 6 miles west of Morpeth. His father died when he was very young, and he was put into the trusteeship of local farmer Gabriel Goulburn of Redesdale, to be trained in agriculture.

He remained there until about 1792, when Goulburn’s business failed and the sum of money left in trust by his father was all lost. At this point in his life Robert Roxby had to turn to commerce and business to earn his livelihood. He worked as a clerk firstly at the bank of Sir William Loraine of Kirkhale, 6th Baronet, (Sir William Loraine & Co), which again failed, leaving Roxby without an income. Luckily he quickly found a similar position with another bank; that of Sir Matthew White Ridley, 3rd Baronet (Sir Matthew White Ridley & Co.), also of Newcastle, at which company, he eventually rose to the position of chief clerk.

He died 30 July 1846, at the age of seventy-nine years, and was buried at St Paul's (now disused) burial ground, in Westgate Hill General Cemetery, Arthur's Hill, Newcastle upon Tyne.

He became very friendly with the much younger Thomas Doubleday (an English politician and author) and they eventually became almost inseparable. The pair of them spent a considerable time fishing on the River Coquet, Rede and other beautiful Northumberland rivers.

Roxby and Doubleday became particularly well known for their Northumberland fishing songs published in several volumes between 1821 and 1852 under the name, Fisher's Garlands. They were published together by Joseph Crawhall in 1862 as A Collection of Right Merrie Garlands for North Country Anglers.

A striking portrait of Robert Roxby, after his death was executed in 1838, by Nicholson, from a sketch by Edward Train. A description of him in "Thomas Bewick, his Life and Times," by Robert Robinson, is a man of middle height with much colour, and wearing a patch over one eye. He usually wore a dark green dress coat, and light drab gaiters. On first entering the bank in the morning, he used to ask a clerk in the establishment, who lived in Jesmond Dene, "Were the mennims [minnows] loupin' [leaping] in the burn this morning?"

Roxby's "Epistle to Robert Boyd", The Auld Fisher's Visit to North Tyne, published in 1840 and included in the 1851 Garland, sums up his thinking:

"They may talk of 'Arabian bowers,'
And 'myrtle groves' over the sea;
Give me my Northumbria's wild flowers.
And the hills o' my native countrie!"

A memorial to Robert Roxby ("The Fisher Poet") in the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas in Newcastle ("erected by public subscription in 1895") includes the eulogy by Thomas Doubleday:
"He was a warm friend, a trusty servent, an enlightened thinker, and an honest man."

There is extensive reference to Robert Roxby in a lecture given to Newcastle's Literary & Philosophical Society entitled 'Northumbrian Art and Song'  by Robert Spence Watson. It was published as part of a collection in 1898 and available here.

Image from page 41 of 'A Collection of Right Merrie Garlands for North Country Anglers' by Joseph Crawhall (1863). Digitised by British Library.

The OS Surveyors completed their task to verify and standardise the place-names for their first edition map and provided a description for the landscape, something I also like to do with my photo submissions to the Geograph Project. But there is more to it than that. Roxby had fallen under the spell of that winding stream 'frae Reedsmouth to Reidswire'; he wasn't the first, and certainly isn't the last.