Hopes to revive village's lost Christmas carol
Gemma Sherlock - North East and Cumbria
Wed, December 24, 2025 at 1:17 PM UTC
2 min read
An author hopes to revive a lost Cumbrian Christmas carol that would have likely last been sung in public at the end of the 19th Century.
Alan Cleaver discovered handwritten lyrics to an Eskdale Christmas Carol while at a history exhibition in Whitehaven.
The words were recorded in the journals of the Reverend William Slater Sykes, a vicar of Eskdale and curate of Holy Trinity Parish from 1895 to 1900.
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Mr Cleaver, from Whitehaven, said "it would be great to revive it" as "carolling is a dying tradition".
The carol references Eskdale's folklore, including the holy well at St Catherine's Church, a path that runs alongside it known as Parson's Passage, and a figure of Christ outlined on a nearby fell.
The lyrics include the lines: "And the music of many waterfalls.
"Of St Catherine's church and her holy well.
"Of a figure stretched across a fell?"
While the words were recorded, the tune was not.
However, after meeting Cumbrian composer Dave Camlin, Mr Cleaver hopes it can be revived in time for next Christmas.
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"He seems very keen on the project," Mr Cleaver told BBC Radio Cumbria.
The author of A Lake District Christmas and researcher of Cumbrian customs and traditions, Mr Cleaver hopes to assemble a choir and practice the song at St Catherine's Church.
He said: "Somebody who was a young boy or girl in the 1930s and remembers their grandparents singing it will hopefully come forward.
"It will be a nice gift to give back to the people of Eskdale, to say here's your carol, don't lose it this time."
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