Newcastle (1651)

Original Publications:

  • Add MSS 41996F, British Library, London.  Undated but ascribed to the mid-seventeenth century
  • The [English] Dancing Master 1st edition, published by J. Playford, 1651, London (and included in subsequent editions, up to and including the 9th in 1690) Original notation

Modern Interpretations:

  • Country Dance Book, Cecil J. Sharp, published by Novello  and Company Ltd, London 1911
  • The Playford Ball, Kate Van Winkler Keller & Genevieve Shimer, The Country Dance & Song Society, Boston USA, 1990 (repeating the Cecil Sharp interpretation)
  • The Country Dance Club Book, Hugh Stewart, published by The Round, Cambridge, UK, 2008 (repeating the Cecil Sharp interpretation)

Comments:

  • This interpretation is a synthesis of the printed version from 1651 and the version described in Ass MSS 41996F. How the interpretation has been done is described here.

Formation:

  • Four couples in a square, each man having his partner on his left hand side (facing each other, each couple with their backs to one of the sides of the room)

Music

Notation:

A1 1-8 Meet all, back again, set to your own, and to the next Either: Circle left, set right and left, turn single right Or: Into the middle and out, set left and right, turn single left towards partner
A2 1-8 That again Either: Circle right, set left and right, turn single left Or: Into the middle and out, set right and left, turn single right towards neighbor
B1 1-8 Arms all with your own by the right, men all fall with your left hands into the middle, Women go round them to your places Arm right 3/4 with partner, then men star left 1/2 way around whilst women dance clockwise 1/2 way round to meet partner.
B2 1-8 Arms again with your own, and women left hands in, men go about them towards the left to your places Arm right 3/4 with partner, then women star left 1/2 way around whilst men dance clockwise 1/2 way round to meet partner.
A3 1-8 Sides all with your own, and change places with them Face partner, forward a double to meet right shoulder to right shoulder and back again.  Then change with this person using two doubles (paunch-to-paunch as in Hole in the Wall) ending facing next person around the set.
A4 1-8 Sides with the next, and change places with them Repeat A3 with this person to end along side the next person on the side of the square, men having moved clockwise and women anti-clockwise one place around the set.
B3 1-8 The first man and 3rd woman take hands and meet, the first woman and 3rd man, lead out again then holding up your hands, the other four cast off and come under your arms to their placesHead couples (currently on the sides) do a grand square (leading out of the set through the other couples)
B4 1-8 The other four the like Side couples (currently on the heads) do a grand square (leading out of the set through the other couples)
A5 1-8 Arms all with your women  and change places Arm right once around with current partner.  Change with this person using two doubles (paunch-to-paunch as in Hole in the Wall) ending facing next person around the set.
A6 1-8 Arms with the next and change places.  Now every man is with his own woman in the contrary place Repeat A5 with this person to end alongside the next person taking hands in lines parallel with the side of the set, but towards the centre of the set.  Side couples are in the centre of the line and head couples are at the end  of the line, facing their partner in the other line
B5 1-8 Fall back from each other, four and four abreast to each wall, turn and change places with your opposites Lines fall back a double and come forward a double.  Change paunch-to-paunch with the person opposite you, head couples moving in towards the centre of the set slightly to take hands in lines parallel with the head of the set, but towards the centre of the set.
B6 1-8 Fall back from each other four and four along the room, turn single change places with your opposite.  So each falls into his place as at first. Lines fall back a double and come forward a double.  Change paunch-to-paunch with person opposite you, falling into original place (side couples do not have to fall back much - they are already there.

[Bold text represents original instructions and light text represents interpretations by Michael Barraclough]

© Michael Barraclough, 21 April 2021



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