You can access recordings of poetry and song related to our folklore exhibition by using this link
The two files named The Old Woman in the Red Cloak Pt 1 and (yes) Pt 2 are readings of an old poem written in Devon dialect about supernatural happenings in Bow (near Crediton) about 150 years ago. It was written as a humorous piece – not to be taken too seriously. The original is very long (it would take over half an hour to read aloud) and written in such strong dialect that very few people of today would understand it. This version has been shortened and modernised to make it easier to listen to, without losing too much of the feeling of the original. You can find a transcript of it in the “Research Files” folder on the table near this laptop.
The Nutmeg Sugar’d Ale is a rendition of a song created from a 1728 newspaper article about a local tradition associated with christenings; a tradition which involved the consumption of a lot of alcohol specially brewed for the occasion. This version was recorded at the New Inn (Coleford) folk club in March 2024 – thanks to all the singers. Once again, you can find a transcript of it in the “Research Files” folder.