Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday October 15th 2026

Seven SDFSingers attended this session, our number reduced by the holidays and other commitments of other regular participants - but it was boosted by four new faces, students from West Dean college, who had met one of our group at a Fishbourne Mill Morris event and she had invited them to attend.

The evening proved to be mix of songs suggested in preparation for the SDFS sings due at Fishbourne Roman Palace on Saturday December 5th, and the lunchtime concert at Christ Church in Worthing on Tuesday Dec 8th. - with word sheets shared to include our guests. These were interspersed by spontaneous contributions from our guests of songs they knew (not necessarily South Downs ones and titles not supplied) for our enjoyment and engagement if we knew them. 

From the SDFS collection we started with "Masters of this Hall" - which had become a little rusty since last used in 2025, but improved with a second go.  Then, "In the Bleak Midwinter", "Holly and the Ivy", and the "Sussex Carol", before discussing then singing "Gaudete", with the original Latin words.  Latin scholars amongst us did best in this but we all managed to keep up. Suggestions were made about splitting verse lines or choruses between men and women' voices - and agreed the chorus should begin with male voices. To avoid confusion for our SDFS singers not present, we avoided a verse featured on some copies of the lyrics - to leave only the four reproduced on the SDFS Blog's songs page.

From there we went back to more familiar pastures with 'Fields Lie Silent", before "Pentonville" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" - with an interlude for "Dark December" a lovely song, sung by David accompanied by his guitar and the rest of us joining in the choruses. (Permission has been sought for this much enjoyed seasonal song to be used by us - although admittedly it's origins are in the North Country.).

"The Coppers' Christmas Song", new to our guests, came next before a song we all knew well, "Country Life", sung together before the break.  "Rosebuds in June" was briefly mentioned as another song known to us all - but one of our new singers reported having learnt it to a different tune in his home county of Dorset.  During what passed for a break - our guests contributed some songs they liked and knew well, with others who also knew them joining in - and Alan presented the readings he is planning to included in the programme for the "Christ Church" event in December. 

When all were ready to, we used the remaining time together to sing "Sugar Wassail". "Wassail the Silver Apple", "Oak and Ash and Thorn", "One for the Rook" - and last but not least, not a South Downs song but definitely adopted by us in the SDFS Chichester group - "Rolling Home"…. before we duly did just that.

We'll be back at The Inn on November 19th - see you there!

New "Miscellaneous" post

If you are a musician interested in joining a Morris dancing side in the Chichester area - check the "Miscellaneous" page on this Blog for more details.  

Lewes Local Group Report - (from Monday September 21st 2026)

This was a very lively and convivial session with ten regulars, four new singers and a baby – a Morris dancer/musician brought along her five-week-old daughter who somehow managed to sleep through the first half of the evening. 

We sang our way through both sets for the event next weekend at Alfriston Clergy House. I chose the first two songs: we warmed up with “East Sussex Drinking Song” and then tackled a new number that we definitely needed to do – “Harvest Moan” set to the tune of “We Plough the Fields and Scatter” by the spoof Kipper Family from Norfolk (my home county) as it is replacing “Life of a Man” at this event. After that we took turns as usual to decide the order of the others but managed to sing all twenty in any case. During the rest of the first half of the evening, we sang “All Among the Barley”, “Old Adam”, “Fields Lie Silent”, “Oak Tree Song”, “Woodcutter’s Song”, “My Downland Remembered”, “Lammas Carol” and “West Sussex Drinking Song”.

 

In the break we admired the youngest visitor some more before she was taken home, chatted about our different experiences and other groups we sing with and arranged lifts to Alfriston (except for the member who lives there and just needs to stroll across the Green).

 

Suitably refreshed we carried on with “Oak and Ash and Thorn”, “One for the Rook”, “Home Lads Home”, “Country Life”, “Sussex by the Sea”, “Parting Song”, “Oldland Mill”, “Ha’nacker Mill”, “Brisk Young Ploughboy” and ended, as we often do, with “Thousands or More”.

 

Our next session will be on Monday October 19^th. New members are always welcome for a free taster session, whatever your previous experience or knowledge. Just bring yourself and your enthusiasm.

 

Tina

 

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday October 1st 2026

The South Downs Folk Singers Annual General Meeting meant an early start at the Barn - but once the agenda had been covered and (for now!) discussions done, tables and chair were reconfigured and after a short break we began our singing with time enough for a dozen songs (and another discussed) to complete the evening.

Before the session Amaryllis had suggested a selection of songs, for enjoyment of our winter season repertoire and in preparation for the events we have planned in November and December.  To interrupt and conclude the post AGM and break-time chatting, a few voices launched with their first choice: the "Boar's Head Carol", with everyone else soon joining in. This was followed by the joyful "Sweet Chiming Bells" before the gentle but also joyous "Field Mouse Carol".  Other aspects of the winter season were described in the "Woodcutters Song" and  "Where Stormy Winds Do Blow".  It was agreed the verses of the latter should be brisk and determined, and the choruses rendered robustly and not too slow - in the character of stormy winds (and likened by one singer to a speech by King Lear!). 

We moved on to seasonal greenery with "The Holly and the Ivy", before a brief departure to the round "I heard a Bird Sing" which was lovely and fun, until unfortunately it lost its way towards the end.  By contrast "Poor Froze Gardeners" described the hardships of winter, before "Friendly Beasts" provided some cheer and warmth in its depiction of animals at the Nativity.  The 'dooby-do's' added last year between the verses of Amaryllis' tune for the latter were reviewed, and it was generally agreed to remove them in favour of the verses flowing on after just a brief silent pause.  

The beautiful and popular "Fields Lie Silent" was our next choice, before "Ideo", and then discussion of "Gaudete" (which had previously been offered, and has now been suggested again, by singers in the Chichester group).  We managed the chorus, but not everyone was familiar with the verses, in Latin. So it was not ventured in full this evening, but may be given more time at another session. That left us with just enough time to sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" - using the tune we prefer which differs from the one most of us learned at school or in church.  So with that uplifting herald of Christmas and other seasonal songs to come, a busy evening closed. 

All our songs can be found on the Songs pages of this Blog - and you can hear some of them them at our public performances in November and December.  If not already in the "South Downs Folk Singers", you can also sing them with us by dropping us a line if you are interested and joining us at one, or all, of our local group sessions.   All the details you need are on the pages of the Blog.  

H.

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday September 17th 2026

There was a small gathering at the Chichester Inn this month - with holidays and other commitments keeping some singers away.  Nonetheless there was plenty of sociable chat - and of course songs to sing.  All songs were by request from within the group and layered between talk of song collectors, other musical events, ideas for future SDFS events and general reflections on the past year and the one to come. 

The changing seasons inspired the first songs chosen - "Fields Lie Silent" (which prompted another customer in the pub, sitting nearby, to compliment us saying how the words and tune were very evocative of the season) - and then "Field Mouse Carol".    Drawing back from as far ahead as Christmas, "All Among the Barley" reset the autumnal mood.  A change of tack followed when we revisited a song Alan sang to us a while ago - his arrangement of "St George the Knight".  This guest song has permission from its writer of the original, John Kirkpatrick, for us to sing it at sessions.  

There was a brief conversation to review the plan to perform at the Chichester Fringe 2027 - the plan being to offer a programme centred on folk songs collected in the Chithurst area.  Progress with preparations for this has been limited, and current circumstances continue to inhibit it, so it was agreed by all not to proceed with this project at this time - but it may be revived for another year.  Nonetheless the work done so far has enabled us to become more competent with a few of the 'Chithurst songs', many of which are quite wordy with numerous verses, and we proved this by managing all of "Valiants All" without a pause.   Back on more familiar ground we then sang the "Sussex Wedding Song" (aka "Come Write Me Down") - with men and women sharing the lines even though we were so few in number.  A couple of fun songs brought us to a refreshment break - "Juicelem" in celebration of apples (to the tune of 'Jerusalem'), which prompted another humorous number, "Batter My Cod" (sung to the tune of 'Fathom the Bowl'). 

With glasses refilled conversation turned to discussing an idea Alan has of sometime doing a walk with songs - perhaps around Rusper village or at Leith Hill, where some well-known song collectors (the Broadwoods in the village and Ralph Vaughn-Williams at Leith House) resided.  Alan will explore both options and report back, with spring or summer 2027 in mind.  Lyn also suggested a new event for the SDFS, a pre-Christmas sing-out in Littlehampton to entertain folks at a cafe there.  She too plans to get more details to feedback - and in due course Henny will share details with colleagues in all our local groups, and recruit singers to support these events if they go ahead.  These chats took us nearer to the end of the evening - but we still had time for three more songs by request before concluding - "Three Drunken Maidens", more humour with "Harvest Moan" and fittingly to finish, the "Parting Song".

Thanks to all the loyal fellows present for this month's sing, and we look forward to other comrades returning for the next session at the 'Chichester Inn' in October. 

H.      

Lewes Local Group Report – (from Monday August 17th 2026)

Following a flurry of last-minute apologies (due to the usual holidays, work, illness, competing other musical groups, Morris dancing etc), a small but well balanced and enthusiastic group of six singers (three women and three men) made it to the Lewes Arms this month, including a new singer from Alfriston. 

We took turns to choose songs from the autumn, harvest and remembrance seasonal list and managed eighteen of the twenty I had suggested. We also had some lovely harmonies and made a good sound considering the number present.

 

During the first half of the evening, we sang “Brisk Young Ploughboy” (with a brief discussion of the Copper Family for our newest singer); “Country Life”; “Ha’nacker Mill” (with an explanation about Hilaire Belloc and a recommendation to listen to his own very old recording of this song); “Life of a Man”; “Oak and Ash and Thorn” (with information regarding Rudyard Kipling, the places he had lived and the poems set to music by the late Dave Bellamy); “Old Adam”; “Oldland Mill” (Ray discussed how his friend Stuart Leon had written the song and given it to us to perform, which we do at the mill at least once a year); “Sussex by the Sea” (our County song, the original military version this time); and “Oak Tree Song” ( a beautiful modern piece by local Sussex songwriter Anna Richardson together with Oran Ash and River Jones taken from “The Children’s Forest”.

 

During the break we mainly discussed the coming event at Alfriston Clergy House (our new singer lives in Alfriston and will come along, joining in whichever songs she feels comfortable with by that time), and the AGM, along with other groups and events that singers are involved with.

 

With voices only half rested after all the chatting, we continued singing with “West Sussex Drinking Song” (back to Belloc); “All Among the Barley”; “Lammas Carol” (by Alan Wheeler from our Chichester group); “Home Lads Home” (the remembrance song of lost lads and horses from a Hampshire village in World War I); “Fields Lie Silent”; “My Downland Remembered” (another from Alan Wheeler about a Sussex man who was transported to Australia); “East Sussex Drinking Song” (the modern 2013 response to Belloc’s West Sussex version, by Adrian Figgess from our own Lewes group); “Parting Song”, (sung appropriately near the end this month!) and ending with another old favourite from the Coppers “Thousands or More”.

 

Our next session will be on Monday September 21^st. New members are always invited to come along for a free taster session. Old hands, complete beginners and anyone in between are all welcome. The stars of the show are always the songs which are the reason for us coming together to learn, enjoy and share them. Just bring yourself and your enthusiasm.

 

Tina

More Sunny Singing Out - at Fernhurst Furnace September 12th 2026

And here we are again - at the 'Fernhurst Furnace' open weekend for another "Jolly Good Sing".

Many thanks again to our hosts for inviting us back - and to David (the singer behind the camera) for this photo - and for the group picture he also took (so was again missing from!) when we sang at the Weald and Downland Museum last week (see previous post).

Singing-Out in the Autumn and Beyond

Our public performances over this long hot summer concluded with a rather wet, but nonetheless enjoyable, finale when we sang for the good folks at the  Amberley Chalk Pits Museum during the "Taste of Sussex" event there on August 29th.  A big thank you to the Museum's staff and visitors for the space offered in the cafe to shelter us from the elements!

Now September has arrived, with its promise of mists and mellow fruitfulness, and our first public performance this month was at the Weald and Downland Living Museum on September 5th - on what felt like a glorious summer's day!   (See photos below of our sunny smiling faces, and another small face found nearby amongst the cobbles around the Market Square - perhaps surprised by our singing!)

Then, still in West Sussex, we'll be singing at the Fernhurst Furnace again on Saturday 12th, during their annual Heritage Days open weekend - and on Saturday September 26th you can hear us at the National Trusts' Clergy House in Alfriston in East Sussex for a return visit there.  

We look forward to visiting and singing in these interesting and lovely locations again, to support the ongoing work done there to preserve, protect and share the history and heritage of the South Downs - as we also try to do with our songs.  

After a quiet October, we'll be back at the Weald and Downland Museum on Saturday November 21st for their pre-Christmas Market (held over the weekend of Nov.21st/22nd.)  (More details are available on the Diary dates page of this Blog, and on the Museum's own website.)

And we'll be singing at the Fishbourne Roman Palace Museum again over the weekend of December 5th or 6th (day to be confirmed) with a mix of autumn into winter songs, and no doubt some festive ones too, in support of the seasonal event they have planned. 

Then we'll be back to Christ Church in Worthing on Tuesday December 8th for another lunchtime concert there - with more seasonal songs and maybe some musical interludes too.

There may yet be more events to sing at before the year turns - so keep an eye on our Diary Dates page for any extras, and for our plans as we move into 2027.

(Our songs can also be enjoyed at our regular Local Group sessions each month as usual - so if you'd like to join us just email first and come along!    Dates and times are on the Diary Dates pages - and details of their venues can be found on our Welcome or New Singers pages.) 

Here we are at the Weald and Downland Museum.....

Here's the spooky stone! .......

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday September 3rd 2026

We welcomed two new faces to the circle of singers who gathered in the Barn for this September session - and we also had the pleasure of having Amaryllis, Alan and Tina with us too.  In and around our catch-ups and chats at the start and in the break, we managed to cover the 10 songs proposed or suggested by the group.  These included one or two in readiness for singing out at public events this month - but most were choices by request from those present.  

Amaryllis led the evening with support from others whenever helpful.  We opened with Alan's thoughtful song "Lammas Carol", followed by the late summer into autumn seasonal tale of "Tommie" - a lad scrumping apples, sung to the tune of 'Fathom the Bowl'.  The theme of trees and harvest s continued with 'The Oak Tree Song" and "Farmers Toast".  The "Smugglers Song" described an illicit harvest of a different kind, before we returned to the fields with the humorous song "Harvest Moan", sung to the tune of the hymn 'Plough the Fields and Scatter'.  It describes the struggle farmers have to achieve a worthwhile crop, fun to sing but a seriously difficult task these days with more extreme weather becoming the norm.  Amaryllis and Tina have plans to use this in their sets at the public events they will each soon lead - Amaryllis at the Weald and Downland Museum the following Saturday (Sept 5th) and Tina later in the month at the N.T. Clergy House in Alfriston (Sept. 26th).

After the mid-session break we resumed with "Home Lads Home" a Remembrance song and another evoking the autumn season. Then we tried the "The Jolly Woodcutter", first learned by some of us in the 'Belloc and Broadwood' Songs Project but unfamiliar to others.  We used just the first four verses, with advice from Alan to keep the pace bright; we hope to use this song more often in the future.  "Run of the Downs" was our penultimate song before we closed with a song for the cider-making season, celebrated in a new verse added to "The Worthing Grower" by its author Barbara S who also introduced it.  We enjoyed singing it, using the same tune as the 'Turmut Hoer' which had inspired it - and Alan suggested we add it to the set he is planning for our sing at the Fernhurst Furnace open day on September 12th.

Thanks to our leads and contributors to this session, and to everyone in this evening's singing circle - we hope to see you next time on October 1st - which will include our S.D.F.S. AGM.  

(Please note - we will start earlier, at 7.00pm, to accommodate the AGM - and our singing will begin at about 8.00pm)

Another opportunity to Sing

 There's a new item on our "Miscellaneous" page - take a look for all the details ....

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday August 20th 2026

14 Singers and 18 songs made for a productive and sociable evening at the "Chichester Inn" this month. Singers each took a turn to suggest a song and count us in to launch it (with a a few false starts and little help from friends to achieve this!) - and we had the added treat of an extra home-grown song from Gordon. (His song "Epilogue" - to the tune of 'Jim the Carter Lad'- has been added to the 'Other Songs to Try' page on our Blog for others to enjoy it too.)  

With general agreement we began with a well tried and tested favourite - "Thousands or More".  After this confident opener came "Ale Glorious Ale", before discussion of another song learned by some during the South Downs Songs project many years ago - "Birds in the Bush" aka "Three Maidens a Milking" - but only snatches came to mind and attempts failed,  Resolution was made to listen and learn it from the Blog, and to revive it at future sessions. We returned to more familiar ground with "On Sussex Hills", before "All Among the Barley" - although the latter was pitched a little low at first, but improved by raising it for a second go. "England For Me" and "Fathom a Bowl" were the next requests, before managing "Ebernoe Horn Fair" with men and women's voices in conversation. Anecdotes were shared by Alan and Gordon aobut the local history of the Fair, which still happens on July 25th each year with a celebratory cricket match on the village green.  

The women led "Magpie" and we all joined voices for "Gooches Beer", before "Jim the Carter Lad" took us to the break - after hearing a solo version of this from Gordon, "Epilogue", which tells a less cheery tale of a weary modern-day 'carter lad'!

After refreshment, and chat about future sessions and events (looking ahead as far as Christmas!), our singing resumed with Alan's "Lammas Carol".  This was helped by his guidance on the song's pace and the pattern and emphasis of notes intended to enrich its rendition.  "One for the Rook", "Pleasant and Delightful", and a different group of maidens this time, the "Three Drunken Maidens", were all chosen and sung, before - "Searching for Lambs", "Rolling in the Dew", and "Turmut Hoers", each sung with men and women taking their turns to sing.  Last but not least - "Rolling Home" was agreed for our parting song to finish on.

Good songs, good singing and good company!  We'll be back at the "Chichester Inn" on September 17th.

A Song to Try - The Epilogue to Jim the Carter Lad

Gordon has offered a new song "The Epilogue to Jim the Carter" - a modern twist on Jim the Carter Lad, a song we're all familiar with.  You'll find it on our "Other Songs to Try' and "Songs Created by Us" pages.

Our Farewell to Emily - Singing at the Worthing Local Group Session - August 6th 2026

 Thanks to Ann Feloy for this photo

And to Leigh for this video of us singing "Turmut Hoer" 

And another one from Ann of us singing "Country Life"

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday August 6th 2026 - Emily's Farewell

The Barn hosted 40 of us, including a mix of singers from all three of our local groups (welcome all!) for a special session this month - our last with Emily there as our lead.  Sad as this was, the evening was also a joyful exhibition of some of our favourite songs, our combined voices all but lifting the ancient rafters, and our pleasure in singing with Emily!

We began with Emily recalling her start with us as something of a raw recruit herself in the "South Downs Songs" project workshops - and with both Chris Hare (the Songs Project founder) and Ann Feloy (project song teacher) also present as very welcome guests for the evening, they all received a round of applause with due congratulation and thanks for the work they did in creating the project, running the workshops and teaching the songs; all of which provided the strong foundation from which the SDFS was built. 

Emily then cited the 'training' CDs she still had from those days, with recordings made to support the teaching and learning in the workshops - and she suggested using a mix of a songs from these, learned by some of us in those early days, plus any other favourites we would like to sing during the evening. 

Our singing started with one the earliest songs in our collection, and a much loved favourite - "Rosebuds in June", before "Shepherd of the Downs" and "Drink Me Brave Boys".  Then came the "Smugglers Song", "The Nightingale", "Hard Times" and "The Sussex Wedding Song (Come Write Me Down".   After inviting further choices, a couple of songs were proposed by singers which are favourites to some but not to others, provoking an exchange of light hearted disagreement.  The first of these was "Eileen Aroon" - a song with Irish origins but nonetheless included in the South Downs Songs project because it was a favourite of one of Sussex's notable inhabitants - Hilaire Belloc.   The other was "Cruel Mother" - a long and harrowing tale of its time describing the distress and plight of an unmarried mother and her newborns.  Whilst acknowledging the nature of its content, Chris Hare reported it had been in the project because it is a very old song and the oldest documented song from the South Downs area found in preparations for the project.  Although both of these have not been sung much by many of us since those early project workshop days, both were sung this evening - and sung well - which just shows how deeply songs and music can go in our hearts and minds and still be recalled from our memories years later. 

Before taking a break we returned to another South Downs anthem well known and much used by us - another written by Belloc  - "On Sussex Hills".  Then in the break, with some extra refreshments provided to mark the occasion - time was taken to present Emily with some farewell gifts, and to share with her our gratitude for all she has done for the SDFS over the many years she has been with us - from the project workshops onwards, including the many events across Sussex at which she has led our singing, and especially for her leadership of the Worthing local group where we have been lucky to have her and to have prospered under her leadership since the workshops concluded.  She will be a hard act to follow!  Emily's words of thanks and reflection in reply carried with them a reminder of a very important ingredient - that whatever and whenever we sing, the experience for us, the words and meaning of the song, and the rendition received by listeners, will be enriched if we sing from our hearts. Wise words indeed.

So our singing resumed in time for a few more songs before the evening concluded.  From a variety of requests made we sang, again to lift the rafters, "Country Life", "The Turmut Hoer" and "Life of a Man". Then last but by no means least, the great Copper's favourite "Thousands or More", which provided a glorious finish to a happy evening of song but also a sad farewell. Many thanks to Emily and All.

Our next evening at the Barn will be on Thursday September 3rd - with summer beginning to fade and seasons changing - and still plenty to sing about.  If you are new to us but you'd like to join us to learn our songs by listening and singing with us, you'll be welcomed but please email to let us know before you attend. 

H.

. 

Lewes Local Group Report - Monday July 20th 2026

There were nine of us again this month at the Lewes Arms, with some regulars away due to illness, holidays, Morris dancing and caring responsibilities, and including a new singer from Southease.

The weather was slightly cooler than the heatwave of the previous two weeks, but still quite warm as we switched up the seasons to start on our autumn and harvest songs. As usual we took turns to choose from the twenty I had suggested.

 

We warmed up with “Harvest Round” (to the familiar tune of Hey Ho, Winter Snow, it sounded lovely in four parts), then carried on with “Woodcutter’s Song”, “Lammas Carol” (by Alan Wheeler from our Chichester group), “On Sussex Hills” (our new singer was familiar with Hilaire Belloc so we didn’t need lengthy explanations), “Where Stormy Winds do Blow”, “One for the Rook”, “Parting Song”, (sung in the middle of the session because that’s what the next singer requested!), “Hard Times of Old England” and “All Among the Barley”.

 

During the break we discussed: Saltdean Lido (a small group took part in a short performance, plans for a larger, longer contribution possibly next year); Newhaven Fort, Brunswick Festival, Stanmer Park and Oldland Mill (all sadly cancelled for different reasons); Alfriston Clergy House (going ahead on September 26^th with autumn and harvest songs); harmony workshops (interest in doing these in both Lewes and Worthing); and a planned singing tour of “painted churches” (Nick is already looking into this, and our new singer knows the vicar at Southease so they will collaborate taking this forward).

 

With glasses replenished we continued with “Pleasant and Delightful”, “Brave Eleven”, “Fields Lie Silent”, “Seasons Turn”, “Home Lads Home” (the first early outing this year for this beautiful but tragic tale of lost lads and horses from a Hampshire village in World War I), “My Downland Remembered” (another from our own Alan Wheeler about an ancestor who was transported to Australia for the theft of unwinnowed oats), and ending as we often do with “Thousands or More” (our new singer is very aware of the Coppers too, as one of her friends sings with the Young Coppers).

 

Our next session will be on Monday August 17^th. New members are always invited to come along and try us out, with seasoned singers and complete novices being equally welcome. We’re a group who come together to learn, enjoy and share the songs rather than a formal choir with the expectations that can sometimes come with that. Come along for a free taster session any time, just bring your voice and your enthusiasm.

 

Tina

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday July 16th 2026

A quiet "Chichester Inn" hosted us again for another sociable gathering to meet and sing. 11 singers, including David G as our helpful guide, managed a total of 18 songs from those proposed by Alan for a forthcoming event he will be leading (at Amberley Chalk Pits Museum in August).  Greetings and catching-up when we first gathered were concluded by a few singers raising their voices in "Country Life" - and from there, with a refreshment break at half-time, it was singing (with some convivial chat between songs) all the way. 

"Ale Glorious Ale" suited our meeting in the Inn before we moved on with a range of rural themes. "All Among the Barley" (with a start note of C-D, rather than A as some had it listed ); "Brisk Young Ploughboy" (A-D);  "England For Me" (which all thought better when sung in a bright and "bouncy" way), and "Ebernoe Horn Fair" (sung as a "jaunty" conversation between men and women's voices).  Then "Magpie" (this time sung by women and men together) before "Lammas Carol"; "Green Grow the Laurels" (with a suggestion by David that the chorus lines be more lilting with notes held for longer) - and last but not least "Sussex by the Sea", which brought us to the break.  

We resumed in rural settings with "One for the Rook"; "On Sussex Hills"; the always beautiful "Oak Tree Song" and then, still in the woods, "Oak and Ash and Thorn".   We discussed the jollity of "Three Drunken Maidens" but time was getting short, so they didn't join us at the Inn for this session and instead we chose "Pleasant and Delightful", not sung for a while.  Then by popular choice, although it is a little 'off message' as not really a South Downs song - "Riding on a Donkey".  Our session closed with what is something of an anthem for us, taken from the Copper family's song collection - "Thousands or More". Thanks to all for your voices and company - and thanks again to David for being our guide for this session. 

H. 

Lewes Local Group Report - (from Monday June 15th 2026)

Nine singers gathered at the Lewes Arms this month, with others absent due to holidays and illness. We welcomed a new singer who currently lives in Germany but may be moving back to the UK soon and will join SDFS if he does so. He was accompanied by his mother, who lives in Brighton and said she was there purely as the chauffeuse as she cannot sing. We all thought she sounded perfectly fine singing along with all the songs all night so we hope she might reconsider.

We went round choosing in turn from the seasonal songs list. In the first half we sang “Ebernoe Horn Fair, “Magpie”, “Hares on the Mountain”, “When Spring Comes In”, “Turtle Dove”, “Sussex Wedding Song”, “Run of the Downs”, “Rosebuds in June”, “Smuggler’s Song”, “England for Me”, (quite recently learned but remembered and sung well), “Summer is A-Coming In Again” (with the new final two verses), “Farmer’s Toast”, and “Green Grow the Laurel”. Our visitors on their free taster session were relatively new to folk music and particularly to folk songs from the local area, so we spent some time talking about the songwriters and the history of the songs, and of our group.

 

In the break we mentioned singing at Saltdean Lido where five or six of us will be taking part in two mini sets on June 20^th as a trial run for a possible longer appearance with a larger group of singers in 2027; Newhaven Fort on 12^th July; Brunswick Festival which is awaiting confirmation for 15^th or 16^th August. Future plans which are awaiting more information include singing in local “painted churches”, harmony workshops and our December session possibly with Ouse Valley Morris.

 

We continued with “It is the First of May”, “Rolling in the Dew” and “Pleasant and Delightful” before deciding to leave slightly earlier than usual and bringing the evening to a close with “Thousands or More”.

 

Our next session will be on Monday July 20^th. New members are always invited to come along and try us out, with seasoned singers and complete novices being equally welcome. We’re a group who come together to learn, enjoy and share the songs rather than a formal choir with the expectations that can sometimes come with that. Come along for a free taster session any time, just bring your voice and your enthusiasm.

 

Tina

 

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday July 2nd 2026

We welcomed two new singers this month for a summer evening of songs at the Barn, with the Barn doors open for some cooling air.   But before our singing, the session began with a few notices - including the sad news from Emily that, due to increased demands on her time, our August session will be her last with us. Sadness, albeit with a lot of understanding too, and mostly huge appreciation for what Emily has contributed to the South Downs Folk Singers, were shared in the responses from those present.  Emily reflected upon her time with the SDFS and recalled her involvement with the original South Downs Songs Project workshops, and noted how little she knew about the songs then and how much, with us, she has learned and enjoyed since. She then invited and suggested song choices from the still growing SDFS songs collection for us to sing together this evening.  

Some - "One for the Rook"; "All Among the Barley" and "Lammas Carol" - were also with an eye on a future event Alan will be leading ("Celebration of Sussex" at the Amberley Chalk Pits Museum, August 29th).  One other suggested by Alan was not well known to many of us, so he performed it as a solo - "Season's Turn" - with some support on the choruses.  Thereafter songs were by request, with a mix of some from our early days and favourites that have been added since. These began with one of the oldest from the original Songs Project, and taught to us there by Emily (not forgetting Ann and Chris Hare!)  - "Old Adam".   Followed by more choices - "The Nightingale"; "Turmut Hoers"; "Drink Me Brave Boys" and "Shepherd of the Downs".

After a convivial break we resumed with "Birds on the Spray" and "The Oak Tree Song"  before "Run of the Downs" (albeit with a little confusion about the verses).  Another song from the 'old days' of the Songs Project followed, "Ebernoe Horn Fair" then one added since "Searching for Lambs".  For it's place in the history of the South Downs we sang the "Song of the Sussex Downsman"- in the early 1900's it's writer Arthur Beckett campaigned successfully to ensure their protection, which much later enabled them now to be a National Park.  In singing this we also remembered a much missed and respected fellow singer and friend of the SDFS. Keith, for his musical knowledge and his exacting care in how this song should be sung. 

As the evening moved towards its close we sang another 'classic' from the Copper songbook and our Songs Project days - "Thousands or More" -  before the last but not least for the evening "The Parting Song".  It tells of the joy of singing together, the sadness of parting and hopes of meeting again, which we will do in August to sing more songs - and to bid farewell to Emily as our lead.

  

Footnote to an "Other Song to Try" - John Fitzpatrick's Original Version of "St. George, The Knight"

Since Alan's version of "St.George - The Knight" was posted on 25th May 2026 we have received a message from John Fitzpatrick (the songwriter), including his original lyrics.

You will find John Fitzpatrick's message and his original lyrics as a footnote to the entry for "St.George - The Knight" on our "Other Songs to Try" page.

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday June 18th 2026

14 singers, including 2 newcomers, met at the Chichester Inn this month, with Alan finding time from a busy week to be there to lead us.  

Voices were loosened up by "Country Life"  before "England for Me".  Then, with some introductions about the "Ebernoe Horn Fair" which still happens in the village on July 25th, we sang the song, with men and women in unison for a good sound.  "Loyal Lover", a gentle and beautiful song came next, and having not sung it for a while we agreed it needed more work to revive it.  Stephen A  updated us on his progress with assembling the "Chithurst Songs"- and spoke about "Phoebe and the Dark Eyed Sailor" for which he has yet to confirm the correct tune.  (This song is not to be confused with "The Dark Eyed Sailor" which features in the sea songs collection of the SDFS' cousin the "Secret Shore Singers".)  So work on this, and "The Young Recruit", were left for a future session and instead we sang "Valiants All" and "The Stedham Oyster Man's Donkey" again to consolidate preparations so far - and agreed to reduce the length of the latter by coupling the verses to have fewer choruses. (This modified version will be added as an option to the SDFS Blog songs page in due course).  

For its energy and fun we moved on with "Three Drunken Maidens" before talk began of having a refreshment break. In this pause Steve W briefed all about a response received from John Kirkpatrick about the SDFS using his song "St.George the Knight", a version of which Alan has recently shared with us.  (Both versions will soon be available on the SDFS Blog's "Other Songs to Try" page.)  A request was then made for "Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun" which the women dully sang with the men's voices joining in, a little randomly, as the song progressed. Alan noted this and gave reminders and advice to improve future renditions.  

After that we took the break - and it took a while for various chats to conclude and attention to return to the singing when we were otherwise ready to resume.  Alan reminded singers of the melody and harmonies, high and low, for "The Rambling Comber".  Our first attempt to recreate these was rather ragged with perhaps an imbalance in volume between the harmonies and the melody, and the melody getting a bit lost.  A second attempt was better - but still disappointing and not as good as it had been when done in the past - so more work needed there too!   "Our Captain Cried All Hands" came next, followed by "The Oak Tree Song", by which time concentration and voices were running low.  "Oak and Ash and Thorn'" was suggested to finish but it faltered at the start and Alan, already weary before he came, felt he'd had enough and decided to leave a little early.  So a sociable evening but not an entirely successful sing concluded, and we hope to do better in July!

H