Recorded at Valley Recordings, Littleton-on-Severn, in May 1994;
Recorded and produced by Gef Lucena (Saydisc) and David Wilkins (Valley Recordinfs);
Research by Dave Townsend and Caroline Jackson-Houlston;
Front cover illustration: Candlemas Fair, Dorchester 1880, reproduced by courtesy of Dorset Country Museum;
Design by Genny Lucena

Musicians

Sally Dexter, vocals [2, 4, 6, 12-13, 15, 19-20], harmony vocals [8, 10];
Julie Murphy, vocals [2, 4, 7, 11-12, 17, 20], harmony vocals [8, 10, 13, 16, 18];
Ian Giles, vocals [1-2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20], harmony vocals [13, 16, 19];
Andy Turner, vocals [2-3, 9, 12, 14, 20-21], harmony vocals [8, 10, 13, 16, 18];

with The Mellstock Band:
Dave Townsend, concertina [2, 5-6, 8, 15, 21], bass concertina [6, 11], violin [7, 18], speech [8], vocals [16, 20];
Mark Emerson, violin [1-2, 5, 7, 16, 18, 21], viola [3, 6, 10, 19], vocals [20];
Charles Spicer, flute [2, 19], oboe [1, 12], vox humana [16, 21], vocals [20];
Kathryn Locke, cello [1-3, 7, 10, 12-13, 16, 19, 21], vocals [20]

Tracks

1. The Foggy Dew (Roud 558; Laws O3; G/D 7:1496) (3.24)
2. Jockey to the Fair / Dame Durden (Roud 1209) (2.50)
3. The Mistletoe Bough (Roud 2336) (3.31)
4. Cupid's Garden (Roud 297; G/D 5:970) (3.23)
5. Queen Eleanor's Confession (Roud 74; Child 156; G/D 2:208) (3.40)
6. The Spotted Cow (Roud 956) (2.04)
7. The Seeds of Love (Roud 3; G/D 6:1180) (4.39)
8. The Barley Mow (Roud 944) (2.56)
9. The Prentice Boy (Roud 263; Laws P35; G/D 2:200) (4.00)
10. I Have Parks, I Have Hounds (Roud 1603) (2.56)
11. Break o' the Day (Roud 2445) (2.24)
12. The Sheepshearing Song (Roud 812) (4.12)
13. The Tailor's Breeches (Roud 1610; TYG 49) (2.19)
14. The Downhills of Life (Roud 1308) (2.41)
15. I Wish, I Wish (Roud 60; Laws P25; G/D 6:1170; Henry H683) (2.22)
16. Joan's Ale (Roud 139; G/D 3:561) (2.31)
17. The Outlandish Knight (Roud 21; Child 4; G/D 2:225; Henry H163) (6.23)
18. Such a Beauty I Did Grow (Roud 17183) (2.22)
19. The Banks of Allan Water (Roud 4260) (3.07 )
20. King Arthur Had Three Sons (1.54)
21. The Light of the Moon (Roud 21234) (3.25)

All tracks trad. arr. Dave Townsend except
Track 5 trad. arr. Dave Townsend, Mark Emerson;
Track 13 trad. arr. Dave Townsend, Kathryn Locke

Tracks 1, 4-5, 8 are referred to in The Return of the Native;
Tracks 1, 6, 15 The Woodlanders;
Tracks 2, 7, 14, 19 Far From the Madding Crowd;
Track 3 A Laodicean;
Tracks 4, 6, 9-11, 13, 18 Tess of the D'Urbervilles;
Tracks 12, 20 Under the Greenwood Tree;
Track 13 A Few Crusted Characters;
Track 16 Desperate Remedies;
Track 17 proposed dramatisation of Tess of the D'Urbervilles;
Track 21 The Dynasts

Produced and recorded by Doug Bailey at WildGoose Studios, Wherwell, Hampshire;
Cover picture by Tom Bower

Musicians

Tim Hill, clarinets, flute, vocals;
Phil Humphries, serpent, trombone, vocals;
Charles Spicer, oboes, vox humana, fife, vocals;
Dave Townsend, violin, concertina, percussion, vocals

Special guest:
Chris Leslie, violin

with The Mellstock Quire:
Becca Heddle, Mandy Townsend, treble;
Sheila Smith, Carol Turner, counter;
Andy Turner, tenor;
Ian Giles, bass

Tracks

1. Old Wiltshire (Roud 24361) (2.48)
2. The Persian Dance / The Waterloo Dance (4.35)
3. How Happy's the Man (Roud 1230) (1.45)
4. Money Musk / Billy Boy / This Day the Stag Must Die / Fred Williams' Irish Jig (4.26)
5. Budmouth Dears / The Downfall of Paris (3.31)
6. Sweet Jenny Jones (3.32)
7. Devil's Reel / Money Musk / Haul Away the Hawser (2.56)
8. Newton's, or St Paul's (Roud 8337) (2.46)
9. The Swiss Boy / William Giles' Quadrille (3.34)
10. With Raptures Abounding (Roud 24378) (2.09)
11. The Original Polka / The Redowa Polka (3.00)
12. Great Things (3.05)
13. Grandmother's / Hook's no. 27 / Cuckoo's Nest (4.23)
14. Rejoice Ye Tenants of the Earth (Roud 23710) (2.56)
15. The Wounded Hussar / Time to Remember the Poor (Roud 1121) (7.37)
16. Derby / The Knifegrinder / 'Ware Out Mother (5.32)
17. Rejoice All Men (Roud 24362) (2.46)
18. Boney's Farewell / Hythe March / Newark Quickstep (3.45)
19. The Shepherds Amazed (Roud V5591) (2.59)