Widecombe Fair - Uncle Tom Cobley folk song - a Devon yarn.wmv

The "common" version of this Devon classic of a journey to the fair on Dartmoor. (see ; • The True Uncle Tom Cob... for The True Uncle Tom Cobley - quite a different tune and chorus from the published version - and more fun to sing!!) Baring Gould collected this published version from Mr Collier in Horrabridge and confirmed the existence of Uncle Tom Cobley in the early 19th century in Spreyford, Mid Devon (spelt Widdecombe in the archives; and was it Tom Cobleigh). There are other versions still sung locally in Devon but this is the tourist one that is printed on the side of my musical jug. If you are looking for a deeper meaning then this is a Gothic tale of a mysterious ghostly grey horse that appears at night in wild places and carries men away from this earth - of course Baring Gould was an expert on Gothic horror. Sung by Alan Rosevear in Exeter. Roud No. 137
WIDECOMBE FAIR (or as SBG spells it Widdecombe Fair)
Tom Pearce, Tom Pearce, lend me your grey mare
All along, down along, out along lee.
For I want to go down to Widecombe Fair
Wi' Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney, Peter Davy, Dan'l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all; Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
And when shall I see again my old grey mare?
All along, down along, out along lee.
By Friday soon or Saturday noon
Chorus
So they harnessed and bridled the old grey mare
All along, down along, out along, lee.
And off they drove to Widecombe fair,
Chorus
Then Friday gone and Saturday come
All along, down along, out along lee.
Tom Pearce's old mare hath not trotted home
Chorus
So Tom Pearce he got up to the top of the hill,
All along, down along, out along lee.
And he sees his old mare a-making her will,
Chorus
And how did he know it was his old grey mare
Cos one foot were shoed and the tother was bare
Tom Pearce's old mare, her took sick and died
All along, down along, out along lee.
And Tom he sat down on a tombstone and cried
Chorus
And now that Tom Pierces mare she is dead
They all did agree she should be buri-ed
But this isn't the end of this shocking affair,
All along, down along, out along lee.
Nor though they be dead, of the horrid career
Of Chorus
When the wind whistles shrill on the moor of a night,
All along, down along, out along lee.
Tom Pearce's old mare doth appear ghastly white
Chorus
And all the long night be heard skirling and groans,
All along, down along, out along lee.
From Tom Pearce's old mare and her rattling bones
And from Chorus

[@alishanty]

I used to live with my gran when I was little. One day I found a book of old folk songs and the sheet music for each one. I didn’t know any of them myself but I brought it to my gran and she’d sing some of them to me, she knew them from a child. Thinking back, she has quite a tuneful voice. Anyway, this was one of my favourites she used to sing. She’s still around, she’s 102. I’ll play her this, she’ll love it. Thanks.

[@pjmoseley243]

as a young soldier we used to have singing song contest to see if we could remember all the words in order along with Ilkly moor by tat etc, great fun and we were young soldiers lol

[@PaulandGen]

My dad gave me a statue of Old Uncle Tom Cobley and Tom Pierce when he passed. I still have them!

[@TheDellaniOakes]

My mother used to sing this to us, when I was a child. For some reason, I woke up with "Uncle Tom Cobley and all..." in my head. Thank you for posting this, so I can hear it again.

[@janiceturton7756]

My Dad used to sing this to me and i have visited widdicome on the moor a few times Happy memories

[@Idrisjj]

A fine rendition with an excellent voice. This gentleman has provided us with as good a recording of this song as I've ever heard. I'd like to thank him!

[@sarahkanu5712]

Thanks Alan for this song, it brings back old memories. My mother taught us this song when I was in primary school in Africa. I like it but I forgot most of the words. I can't wait to show this video to her.

[@agohelliwell6755]

Takes me back to 66 when a few of us 10 year olds got up on a week long school trip to Ashover and sang this .... I was JAN STEWAR ...... glory days ! Our teacher who made it all happen was a MR WHEATLEY top man !!!!!

[@tanyabrown7547]

I was taught this song at school in the 60's.. just thought I would google it and here you are singing it. Thank you

[@James-qo4yd]

Fantastic Alan. I absolutely love this 💙

[@10toria19]

Ive not heard this wonderful song in years. You lyrical voice is perfect for it! I wish you many happy years of singing.

[@alexodonnell4949]

you are dunkirk, old boy. Bless you and all who sail with you, Amen....

[@postwar46]

great heritage. Don't ever lose it .

[@jillyb710]

I had to explain to another English person why I used the phrase Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all. I was dismayed she didn't know. I was taught it at school in the 1960s and also sang it in the Girl Guides in the same decade. Well sung!!

[@CousinJennie]

Beautifully sung! Thank you!

[@cdroaima]

Thank you. My dad used to sing this song, oh 30-40 years back. Happy memories!

[@margaretfrost6511]

Not heard this since I was a child. Thanks for the memories.

[@sonofocelot]

Great to hear this classic again Alan, thanks for sharing!

[@ovr4tee]

Lovely version. Participated in a version of this that our class did for our Junior School's Christmas concert back in the late 70s. I was "Dan'l Whiddon"; our teacher had a prop wall made for us to pop up from behind, and say our names!

[@daweshorizon]

You have a fine voice my friend! Great rendition of this English classic folk song! Just needs a load of drunkards to fill out the chorus, might try this one down the pub, when they eventually re-open! Nice one Alan. Love and peace.

[@emmabrown35]

Wonderful song, beautifully sung. And your heritage is preserved.

[@valerieobrien5521]

It's DONALD Widden. Also the last verse ' says " The old grey more her took sick and her died.

[@Gingalickingod]

Great that Alan .. had look this up cos we found some ornaments by Willyoung with all the characters sitting in the pub & Tom Cobley in a chair with a Pipe, while clearing mothers house out. Quite Fascinating ..

[@petermatten3315]

I was just polishing the brass, you were singing, and in my hand was a brass toasting fork, bought at widdicoombe, when I was about five, in the fifties, on the top is the mare with all the old boys sitting on it.

[@nicolahacking2623]

Ha ha ha my Mum used to sing this. .. it's just popped in my head...I didn't even know if I'd got the name right.

[@gillwelch788]

Lovely , a pleasure to listen to you. We'll done and thank you.

[@edwardmaylor5714]

great stuff! takes me back a good few years

[@johnmichaelrichards]

One of my lifelong favourite songs since childhood. Thank you for sharing, Alan.

[@vanishingpoint2658]

That was great!😁 Just bought a little Going To Widecombe Fair milk jug in a charity shop and it was fun to hear the song again. My Dad loves the song, too. Poor old mare with that lot on her back!😙

[@anitainoregon3043]

I was just thinking about this song, which I used to sing to my daughter 45 or so years ago. She's about to turn 50, and her name is--Devon! Thanks so much for posting this. Ah, the memories!

[@stugginsminor]

Great to hear this song again. Thank you :)

[@juliaconnell]

one of the many songs my dad used to sing to me - thank you ♥

[@juliaconnell]

😂🤣😂🤣😂 - I saw the COMMENT and was about to reply - then *saw* who made the comment 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 enjoyed this just as much, if not more, than I did 6 years ago (a dear friend & mentor from many moons ago used the phrase this week - "Uncle Tom Cobley and all" ❤💔❤ actually - while dad DID sing this to me, we used to sing this together 💖💝💖

[@harbourdogNL]

My Gran from Liverpool (1897-2002) always used to say "…and Uncle Tom Cobley and all" when I was a kid, when talking about a crowd of people and it always made me laugh. Lovely to learn where the expression came from. And Alan, you should do a whole series of trad spoken songs, I''ll even put together a list if you like! First one I suggest is "Sam Hall". Popular song here in Newfoundland.

[@sleepgameknit]

My granddad used to sing this when I was little, thank you :)

[@susangrigor6270]

Thank you. My Grandmother used to sing this song to me.

[@avenelgrace1603]

I haven't heard this old song since I was in school in the 1950's ...Thank you.:-))

[@jessesands4099]

Bless you forever mate!🤗👌👍🇬🇧

[@jeanglendinning1860]

i remember learning this song when i was in primary school

[@soulohox9229]

Beautiful

[@SueKF64]

Thank you so much! Loved listening to this 🤗

[@SugarfreeYT]

Brilliantly sung. Thanks!

[@rosevear99]

Thanks for the comment - great song for singing when people are drinking socially!

[@SugarfreeYT]

I'm in a band singing sea shanties, old workman's songs, folk and so on and this is right up our street! And we tend to do pubs, so drinking socially is guaranteed.

[@videofan792]

What a great song from my childhood, and you have a terrific voice.

[@mewlop1]

Thank you! That was great! Just spent 10 days in Widecombe, staying at the Old Rectory.

[@Harmonical1]

Put the subtitles on - it's hilarious!

[@alastairashford7919]

Brilliant, it takes me to my childhood!

[@321scully]

Alan, thank you so much for singing this great song for us. This was my mother's favourite song who sadly passed away last year and only this Sunday gone I bought a little cup with Widdicombe Fair on it from a carboot to match my other Widdicombe Fair saucer. Thanks Alan and we want more of these old songs please!

[@Jammy_dodger-1]

Spot on

[@MervynFernandez]

I love it!!!

[@Seadreams]

We used to sing this at primary school. Happy days!

[@Onepuglover]

U do it so beautiful I'm nearly crying

[@Matt571]

I have known of the song for years, but I have only heard it in full in the last year. I can't understand what happened after the mare died, did Uncle Tom Cobley, Bill Brewer and the rest all die straight after? The verse about the mare being buried is also one I have never heard in other versions

[@charlytaylor1748]

this really cheered me up

[@meganpearcee]

My Brother is called Tom Pearce so you can imagine we always say lend me your grey mare but never heard the whole song

[@stretnik1]

That reminds of my late mom, thanks for that Alan. Kevin Allen. (Dublin)

[@janmyers985]

Beautiful voice!

[@mellowfellow4755]

Yer supposed to change chord for the doth appear ghostly white verse, I go through widecombe most days in the morning early, its difficult to imagine how populous country villages on Dartmoor were

[@dominicmaxwell8631]

Awesome!

[@rosevear99]

Hopefully the wind did not whistle cold on the moor of a night. Two nice pubs to escape to, though.

[@wingobingo]

Hooray for the mug! Haven't heard in donkey's thnx

[@30ksubscriberswithnovideos3]

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[@bernardcohen3245]

Will you song at my sons wedding please I’ll give you a fiver

[@Onepuglover]

I do this at school

[@sanchez16]

The song is best sung with a proper Devonish accent like this

[@tommybizzle99]

first class

[@danielfenton2532]

I'm gonna get to Widdicombe fair. By eck I am

[@kernowforester811]

Sounds beddur in the original De'm.

[@sarahkanu5712]

Thanks Alan for this song, it brings back old memories. My mother taught us this song when I was in primary school in Africa. I like it but I forgot most of the words. I can't wait to show this video to her.

[@soulohox9229]

Beautiful

[@sarahkanu5712]

Thanks Alan for this song, it brings back old memories. My mother taught us this song when I was in primary school in Africa. I like it but I forgot most of the words. I can't wait to show this video to her.