Like so many folksongs, this begins with seduction and ends in tragedy...

Salisbury Plain (Roud 1487) is very close to my heart – Vaughan Williams collected the melody in 1904, from Mr and Mrs Verrall in Horsham, West Sussex, which is where I grew up. I spent quite a few years volunteering on Sundays at Leith Hill Place, RVW’s childhood home, where I would sing his music and folksongs he collected for visitors to the house (now managed by the National Trust). The story behind the collection of the words to this song is adorable: Henry Burstow (amazing local singer, bell-ringer, and shoe-maker – look him up!) was asked to sing it for Lucy Broadwood, but he was too embarrassed to sing it in front of a lady, so RVW stepped in to take down the slightly spicy words! It’s a truly haunting song of attraction and tragedy. I love it! I hope you do too.