Annotation:Bonny Lass (2)
X:1 T:Bonny Lass [2] T:Ellingham Hall T:Merry Dancers, The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig S:William Vickers' manuscript collection (Northumberland, 1770) K:G C|B>AB cGE|G>AG G2c|B>AB cGE|D>ED D2c| B>AB cGE|G>AG G2c|BdB c2B|AFD D2:| |:c|BdB GBG|BdB G2c|BdB G2B|AFD D2c| BdB GBG|BdB G2e|dcB c2B|AFD D2:| |:g|fef gdB|gdB G2g|f>ef gdB|AFD D2g| fef gdB|def gdB|cac BgB|AFD D2:||
BONNY LASS [2]. AKA and see "Bonny Lass of Our Town," "Ellingham Hall," "Lasses of Our Town," "Merry Dancers (The)." English, Jig (6/8 time). England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC. The melody appears in the 1770 music manuscript collection of Northumbrian musician William Vickers (about whom, unfortunately, nothing is known). Vickers gives the alternate titles "Ellingham Hall" and "Merry Dancers (The)" with the tune. London musician Thomas Hammersley called the tune "Bonny Lass of our town" and gave "Merry Dancers" as an alternate title in his c. 1790 copybook. Ellingham Hall is a Gothic-Revival manor near Alnwick, Northumberland, originally built upon a 17th century house. It was enlarged by Edward and Mary Haggerton in 1703 (their initials still appear carved into a lintel over the then front door. There are secret tunnels on the ground which aided in the harboring of Catholic priests during the turmoil of the Reformation.
