Annotation:Frennet Hall
Tune properties and standard notation
FRENNET HALL. AKA - "Frennet Ha'." Scottish, Air (3/4 time). G Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The air goes to a once-popular ballad that is based on a 17th century incident in Forgue, Scotland, at the castle of Frendraught (i.e. Frennet Hall), now a ruin. The castle was the ancient seat of the Crichton family, who, in the early 1600's became engaged in a feud with the Gordons of Rothiemay. It was in the tower of the castle, in 1630, that Viscount Aboyne, laird of Rothiemay, and two or three followers were abed after being given the hospitality of the castle. A great fire of unknown origin, but sudden and intense, destroyed the upper stories of the tower and killed all who were in them. The popular view was that they had been deliberately murdered, and it was commonly held that Lady Frendraught was responsible for the treachery. The fire was determined to be arson and a scapegoat was tried and executed, although the feud between the factions simmered on for years. A later ballad (which contains garbled and inaccurate information about the incident) begins:
When Frennett castle's ivied wa's Thro' yallow leaves were seen; When birds forsook the sapless boughs, And bees the faded green; Then Lady Frennet, vengeful dame, Did wander frae the ha', To the wild forest's dewie gloom, Among the leaves that fa'. Her page, the swiftest of her train, Had clumb a lofty tree, Whase branches to the lofty blast, Were soughing mournfullie: He turn'd his een towards the path That near the castle lay, Where good lord John and Rothemay Were rideing down the brae.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; p. 127.
Recorded sources: